Nathan

Red Notice is a run of the mill spy adventure with twists, turns, and an inflated runtime that leaves the movie feeling bloated. I was having a decent time in the start of the movie, I enjoyed the back and forth between Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds, the set pieces were great, and the plot was somewhat interesting. But after awhile, the movie got stale as the same style jokes were recycled and the plot kept being strung along. All the acting was fine in the film, but by this point Dwayne Johnson plays Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds plays Ryan Reynolds. There is no diversity in their acting, every role they take on is the exact same. In the beginning it was fine, but too much of a good thing is not enough. I found myself getting increasingly bored throughout the duration of the film, and the ending was a grind to get through. The twists at the end were interesting, although if I was remotely engaged in the plot I could have spotted it from a mile away. Overall, this film was below average cinema, even after the spending $60m plus on star power.

Score: 45%
Verdict: Poor

Ms. Marvel is a great down to Earth origin story that is able to resonate with a large variety of audiences, but when the story delves into the cosmic realm it drowns under the weight of underdeveloped villains and poor writing choices.

At first, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed Ms. Marvel. The high school setting was really refreshing to see, as we really only have one hero in the MCU that is in that age range. I felt as if Kamala Khan was an extension of the audience, a mega super fan whose lifelong dream was to become a hero herself. The interactions with her family and friends as she was trying to fit into the popular clique of school while dodging the overprotection of her parents were fantastic to see. I did find that her parents were a bit over exaggerated and did not really seem genuine in their worries, as Kamala was a very respectful daughter who was being open and honest with them initially. Despite that, there are plenty of scenes throughout the series of heart-to-heart conversations with her family that feel extremely genuine and pure. My heart melted whenever her father spoke, he had such a calming presence on the entire family.

After the first two episodes is when the show started to go off the rails for me. The Karachi episodes are extremely disjointed. The connections and conversations Kamala makes with her mother and grandmother are incredible and a real turning point for the character. But the introduction of the Red Daggers was half baked and extremely corny. The villains introduced during this episode stretch were not all that compelling as there was a very limited lead up to the conflict. They essentially just get thrown in a third of the way into show and give a massive exposition dumb on why they are after Kamala. The audience never gets to form a connection with them or understand them deeper than surface level. This problem is only compounded in the finale when the villain changes at the last minute and left me scratching my head.

The acting in the show was fairly adequate. Iman Velani is marvelous as Ms. Marvel; I found her excitement and connection with the character extremely authentic and any complaints I have of this show have nothing to do with her; she was great. Yasmeen Fletcher, Zenobia Shroff, and Mohan Kapur were amazing as well, they all gave really touching and emotional performances that really worked for me. The conversations they all shared with Kamala that helped guide her throughout her journey were gripping and at times made me tear up. Matt Lintz and all the villains were extremely average though. There were far too many lines that were delivered awkwardly, and even though some of that had to do with bad writing (as all actors had some lines that felt off), these characters felt that it happened multiple times per episode.

The action is pretty average as well, there are a few scenes with Kamala that are very obviously CGI that look like they were straight out of a late 2000’s video game. I cannot help but wonder why they could not have done it in live action with green screen boxes that they could cut out in editing. However, there were a few scenes that had interesting angles with few cuts that I definitely appreciated.

Ms. Marvel is a really great introduction to Kamala Khan as a character and although the journey has major dip after episode two it still finishes somewhat strong, leaving me excited for what's to come in The Marvels.

Score: 65%
Verdict: Decent

Zack Snyder's Justice League is able to turn one of the worst superhero movies of all time into a fantastic film filled with great action, heart, and depth.

The original 2017 Justice League cut was unbearable to watch, each line of dialogue felt out of place and extremely corny. I was physically cringing at almost every scene. These problems are completely wiped away in the Snyder Cut allowing for a more character focused and emotional telling of the dawn of the Justice League. The entire film is completely different, with scenes completely cut and the order adjusted to have a more organic viewing experience.

With a runtime of four hours, I was really nervous of feeling bored or the movie having a large amount of filler to pad the runtime, but that is not the case. Each scene is crafted perfectly to deliver important character depth, allowing the viewer to gain an emotional connection with each of our heroes. Cyborg, Flash, and Aquaman all have very fleshed out introductions, giving the audience a glimpse of their motivations and struggles living in a world with their powers. Cyborg has a tremendous arc with his struggling relationship with his father, which gets great pay off in the end of the film. The Flash feels grounded too with his motivation for fighting crime to help prove his father's innocence. With this new perspective and tone, his quips feel more like that of an immature kid (much like Spider-Man) rather than infused comedy that was forced by the corporate overlords.

Batman and Wonder Woman are great in this film, with each giving arguably their best performance as their respective characters. Batman feels like a man who has truly learned from his past mistakes and wants to gather and lead his team rather than divide. Wonder Woman is a confident bad-ass Amazon who's heartfelt and understanding presence is the glue that holds the team together. Aquaman does not have all that much of an arc in this film but has a great lead into his solo movie which is noteworthy.

Not only are the hero's more fleshed out but so are the villains. Steppenwolf has an actual motivation that the audience can sympathize with and understand. This leads him to feel more genuine in his conquest to take over the world. Steppenwolf plays really well with the backdrop of Darkseid who is looming in the background of every scene of our villain. It really creates a relationship akin to the Emperor and Darth Vader. The introduction of the life equation adds much more stakes and an emphasis on what the conquest is actually about.

The action in this movie is great. The R rating added more room for the scenes to be more brutal and visceral with blood and gore, and even a beheading! While the majority of the film had pretty decent CGI, there were a few scenes that looked really out of place. Especially the ones with Darkseid and his lackies, which reminded me of a character straight out of a PS2 game. This largely had to do with the limited budget and time constraints the Synder Cut was given.

This film delivers on Zach Snyder's vision of Justice League, and I am so happy it exists. Although it also brings a sense of sadness as well, because the movie sets up for so much potential for the DCEU and now that future has all but vanished.

Score: 88%
Verdict: Excellent

Nightcrawler shows the dark and sadistic rise of an underground freelance video producer that left me on the edge of my seat in disbelief throughout the entire film.

The film begins following Lou Bloom, a man down on his luck during economic turmoil trying to find his way in the world. The whole first act really builds his sense of helplessness and drive to help lift himself out of his financial hardship. This drive is built upon throughout the entire story as with each step Bloom’s morals and societal lines drift farther and farther from the norms. The entire theme of the story really resonates with common day America, as you are told to work hard and pave a path for yourself no matter the cost to those around you. Dan Gilroy did an outstanding job with the direction and writing of the entire film. The unsettling nature of dialogue and characters actions/motivations is incredibly eerie as it is indicative of society today. Each scene feels real as if it is a retelling of true events. I believed every second of Lou Bloom as a character, and that is largely due to Jake Gyllenhall’s best performance to date.

Gyllenhall does such an excellent job of putting on this outcast persona. As a loner, he spends most of his time learning on the internet and due to that he does not really understand the nuances of everyday life. This is done tremendously well as every line delivered by Gyllenhall is so sharp and awkward, but the source of the words is tremendously powerful. The sense of emotion displayed by the lead is fantastic as well, he swings from being incredibly upset to quickly turning into a calm put together businessman. It demonstrates Bloom’s extreme passion for this work as his emotions blind him to not only his speech but slowly morality. Every aspect of Gyllenhall’s performance was incredibly visceral and every bit deserving of an Oscar. I touched a lot on the main lead here, but the supporting cast was all around spectacular. Rene Russo and Riz Ahmed did excellent jobs in their parts. They were able to mirror the audience's reactions to the unhinged nature that is Lou Bloom, this aspect really resonated with me.

Overall, Nightcrawler was one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. It was able to capture me in the world and had me completely engaged with the story Gilroy was attempting to deliver. The film ends with a bang and has left me thinking about it hours after viewing.

Grade: 97%
Verdict: Masterpiece

On the surface Pig is a basic story of a man on the search for his lost pig, but underneath the initial layer is a deep and compelling character study on love and loss.

In the beginning, Rob and Amir start off as distant business partners, with not much relationship other than their weekly transaction. As the film unfolds, the audience begins to discover more about each character's past and motivations, and in doing so an intimate connection form with them both. The viewer cares about Rob and wants to see him reunited with his pet. During this same time, a parallel is created between the audience and Amir as a distant stranger becomes a friend. I found it so gripping the way we know nothing about Rob, as he seems to be an outcast and a loner that no one really knows about at all, but there is more than meets the eye with him. That mystery is one of the strongest aspects of the film and the payoff is incredibly satisfying.

Nicholas Cage is absolutely fantastic in this role. Cage has very few lines throughout the entire film, as he is very reserved and closed off, but still is able to take command of every scene he is in. The way he broods over everyone and analyzes the situation is incredibly engaging and you can tell that he has a strong familiarity with the area. That is not to say Cage does not display his full range of acting abilities here, as his emotional scenes are captivating. I never thought a movie could make me tear up about a man’s connection with a pig, but he pulled it off effortlessly with his performance. The chemistry between Cage and Alex Wolff is fantastic. The two really evolve as a pair and the transformation of their relationship is very believable and done incredibly well.

While the film has some slow moments, it is still able to engage the audience throughout its 90-minute runtime. The writing is fantastic and will deliver some very great twists that the audience will not see coming. Pig is a fantastic film, and anyone remotely interested should give it a try.

Grade: 88%
Verdict: Excellent

The Guilty is a gripping experience but runs out of steam before crossing the finish line.

Jake Gyllenhaal did such a fantastic job in this film. The complex emotion that he displayed here was an absolute clinic on acting. He transitioned from shock to anger to sadness with ease, demonstrating the true emotions of a person dealing with a difficult situation while simultaneously being haunted by the past. It was brilliant the way he carried the entire film with just him, his phone, and the same dispatcher room for 90 minutes. Gyllenhaal wasn't the only one who was excellent but the entire ensemble of actors doing voice work over the phone were incredibly solid.

I really enjoyed the story of this film; we've seen the whole one-man act before, but this was incredibly engaging. I was completely locked in at parts leaning on the edge of every word delivered over the phone as the pieces of the puzzle slowly start to unravel. It was very fun to be a part of the investigation and continually having to alter my theories based on new information. Although, once the big reveal occurs, the movie overstays its welcome. It lingers on Joe for a little bit too long and I was waiting for it to be over. Not a great sign.

Regardless of the lulls in the script, The Guilty still found a way to keep me mostly engaged throughout the majority of the film. Which is a testament to the amazing performances from Gyllenhaal and the rest of the cast.

Verdict: Good
Score: 75%

After a rocky start, Thor Love and Thunder is able to find its footing during delivering a fun and despondent Thor adventure filled with a tremendous amount of heart.
It is no surprise that this film is far from perfect, and that is not more evident than the beginning of the film. The entire first act feels so disjointed and rushed. You get thrown plot point after plot point and get whipped from planet to planet which results in the viewer not being able to lock in on the story. I really enjoyed the scenes we got from Gorr and Jane during this act, but they felt a little underdeveloped and rushed. The comedy was a little thick during this section, some jokes completely missed, but it was nothing that was overbearing that it hurt the experience. Once the movie enters the second act and begins focusing on Jane the entire gets much better. It is here where you can really see the balance that Taika Waititi brought during Ragnarök with some moments rivaling the best from that film. The ending of this film has some really great action and cinematography, some may argue it's among the best in the MCU. As the movie credits rolled, I was very satisfied to the conclusion of this film and am ready for more Thor action in the future.
The acting all around was excellent in this film, I found the dynamic between Jane and Thor worked much better than in previous films. They had real chemistry on screen, and you could feel the love the two previously shared unearth with each additional scene. There are some really great conversations that dive into their relationship that were done fantastically. Christian Bale was menacing as Gorr, his demeanor was sinister and completely unhinged as he delivered crazy laughs while delivering his villain manifesto. It gave me serious flashbacks to Heath Ledger’s Joker. I just wish we got to see more of him in the film, but the bit we did see was top tier villainy in the MCU.
The music in this film blends with the scenes very well. When the Guns N' Roses guitar starts playing you know it is about to go down and I could not help but smile. While the beginning of this film was bad, I can admit, the ending was so great that it averaged out the movie and made it a very enjoyable experience.

Verdict: Good
Score: 7/10

Despite having shades of Back to the Future, The Adam Project finds a way to pave its own path to deliver a fun and heartwarming story about self-forgiveness. The movie starts incredibly strong, introducing the viewer to the main characters. The chemistry between the two actors is fantastic and feels really genuine, creating an instant connection between the two and the audience. Walker Scobell does an excellent job doing his best Ryan Reynolds impersonation, making me really buy into the fact that they are the same character. This pace carries on up until the second act when characters and lore are being thrown at the viewer left and right. This section feels incredibly rushed resulting in the viewer having very little emotional connection with the ideas introduced. Zoe Saldana and Mark Ruffalo do a fantastic job with the limited screen time that they have, it was great seeing them outside of their standard CGI suits (looking at you Marvel). The antagonist wore her welcome towards the end of the film as her antics seemed a little forced. The comedy in this movie was done fairly well. I enjoyed the fast sarcastic nature of the boy and his back and forth with Reynolds, but some jokes did fall flat. But that is par for the course in any comedy. Overall, this film was enjoyable and even though it had its faults I appreciated the concepts it delivered.

Verdict: Good

Old is a very unique and interesting idea as a film. That is about the only positive thing I can say about it. The entire movie feels jumbled together, the pacing moves incredibly fast and choppy at some points, jumping from one small event to another. As a viewer you never get to sit in atmosphere of what has just occurred because it rips you away into another event. The writing in this film is simply not good. There is a ton of cheesy dialogue and character reactions that just do not make sense. I originally thought that the acting was just bad, but I think it has more to do with the material they are trying to work with. The cheesy lines can be fine if that was the style of film they were trying to make, but with the very serious and melodramatic tone it just comes off as awkward. There is a very weird and kind of off-putting direction that the story goes relating to the children that just made me uncomfortable as well. It is sad that this film had so much potential, and trailers really sell that potential, but what we were delivered was far from a quality film.

Verdict: Bad

Freaky is a self-aware horror comedy spin on the classic film Freaky Friday (hence the name freaky). The slasher elements are extremely present, and I loved the shades of Friday the 13th with the Jason style killer and the sharp music, reminiscent of the original F13 score, playing during his scenes. The kills are incredibly brutal and really earn the R rating, some are very creative while others are the run of the mill horror kills. While watching this movie I could not help but feel bored at times. There were some definite lulls that could have been sharpened up for a tighter movie viewing experience.
I understand that the movie was self-aware and poked fun at a lot of horror tropes, bult I felt as if they went a little too overboard. There were some scenes of bullying that just felt so unbelievable and over the top that it really pulled me out of the film even though I understood it was being satirical. The acting overall was pretty good, some lines were delivered awkwardly but nothing that was too consistent to harm the experience. Vince Vaughn is fantastic in this movie, and when that switch happens, he really sells that he is a high school girl in a killer's body with his girly movements and dialect.
Overall, I had a fun time with the movie, but there were quite a few elements that really hold it back.

Verdict: Decent

Little Monsters is an interesting twist on the tired and overplayed zombie genre that has crowded Hollywood in recent years. How a movie about a zombie invasion threatening kids can have such humor and endearing moments is beyond me, but the film is able to deliver these in an effortless way. Lupita Nyong'o does as excellent job as a kindergarten teacher and really reminds me a lot of my own fiancé as she teaches young children, very believable. Alexander England does a fine job as well; he really plays off from his nephew (Diesel La Torraca) and Nyong'o very well. The pair have good chemistry that builds throughout the film and pays off at the end. Josh Gad is very much what you would expect from him, over the top and annoying. I found his character to take away from a lot of scenes, but it didn't hurt the overall experience too much, just wish they toned him down a bit. The comedy is reminiscent of Kindergarten Cop, some of the humor and jokes hit while others missed entirely. I did really enjoy the constant songs and kid controlling mechanisms that they used throughout the film. It added a subtle spice of dark humor with the backdrop of zombies trying to devour the students. This film doesn't do a lot but what it attempts to do, it does fairly well.

Verdict: Good

The Lost City is an action-adventure rom-com combo that has more action than comedy. While there are plenty of laughs to be had throughout the film, a large percentage of them missed the mark completely. There were scenes that had me laughing aloud and others that were a little cringe at times, so the humor levels will for sure vary per viewer. The overall plot was somewhat standard but entertaining enough as comedy plots are concerned. The beginning starts off strong and then slowly fades as the plot becomes more unbelievable. The acting is excellent, as it should be with this type of star power. Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum had spectacular comedic chemistry and bounced off each other nicely. Daniel Radcliffe’s over the top villain antics were fairly decent as well, nothing groundbreaking. Brad Pitt was a standout, and I wish we saw more of him in this film, but his scenes by far were the most memorable. Even though this movie has its ups and downs, it understands what it is, and does not take itself seriously. This translates to the audience not taking it seriously as well, which results in a fairly fun viewing experience.

Verdict: Decent

I found that Last Night in Soho took its sweet time getting me hooked, but as the first act was coming to a close, I was locked in. The movie constantly had me thinking what was to come next, trying to decipher what was the connection between the main characters were and why this was happening. There were scenes in this film that really had me on the edge of my seat, and I have not had that experience in a long time. I did not know much coming into the film, so I expected Anya Taylor-Joy to be the lead, but I was pleasantly surprised at the spectacular performance that Thomasin McKenzie delivered. She really displayed the full range of emotion, showing shades of a shy timid and unsure girl to being a powerful and confident mistress of the night. But not only did these dueling personalities take center stage, but her ability to capture the horror and terror her visions continued to bring on. It was amazing and I will definitely be tuning in to more of her films. I found the plot to be very good, on the surface it is somewhat simplistic, but it is delivered very well with each piece of the puzzle slowly being hand delivered by Edgar Wright. But by the third act, the twists are predictable, and the ending does not deliver as much as I would have liked.

Verdict: Excellent