3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Mortal Kombat’:
I kept waiting for a tournament to happen.
The score was relentless and cheesy. I felt like it tried reeeally hard to compensate for a story that didn’t feel remotely epic or grand. It made me miss the 1995 film.
I wasn’t a fan of the casting. There was a missed opportunity to bring some really iconic and dynamic characters to life. And I don’t think these actors fit the bill to accomplish that mission. The script didn’t help either.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Cube’:
Despite an interesting premise that may have inspired future movies, this is most certainly added to the list of films with annoyingly dissatisfying endings.
If I was meant to despise each and every aspect of the character Quentin, the film succeeded there. I hated every single bug-eyed moment of his stupid pouty face. Simply despicable.
Worth’s role in the cube-making made little sense. One minute he’s saying he knows nothing about it, next he’s telling Holloway when they started putting people in it. In fact, much of the dialogue had little substance or meaning.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Shallow Grave’:
Solid ending. I didn’t see that coming.
I had questions. Why couldn’t they just report the death and keep the money? Why did the two roomies all of a sudden decide to be a couple? Some character actions just didn’t flow, and I didn’t really sense they were each out for themselves until the very end.
I thought the direction and cinematography were pretty fantastic. Some great shots all throughout. This was apparently Danny Boyle’s first feature film and I can see how he was quick to impress.
3 Thoughts After Re-Watching ‘The Witches of Eastwick’:
Three absolute queens. Their chemistry is actual magic. And they make this film the 80s classic it is. Watching them together is everything.
This is Nicholson doing what he does best. Eccentric, charismatic, and a little psychotic. His performance is on another level.
After several viewings, I didn’t realize John Williams did the music for this! And knowing now, I could most definitely tell. The theme has stuck with me for years.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’:
The scenes before the beginning credits led me to believe this would be an intolerable, corny, cheese-fest of a film. I was wrong. This was heartwarming, well-done, and didn’t shy away from much. And I would love to revisit these characters again.
It was great to see Uma Thurman! Her president’s reaction to her son’s news was EVERYTHING. Sincerely beautiful.
I particularly enjoyed the scene of them texting / talking to each other while separated, the way it was put together. Envisioning them in the same room, the same bed. Appearing and vanishing. That’s when I started to realize this movie was actually pretty smart.
Bonus Thought: That journalist is a total POS. We’ve all met this guy.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Night of the Comet’:
The best parts of this were Willy and the DMK callback. The two leads grew more likable as the film went on, but not enough to save a very silly movie that never seemed to know what it wanted to be.
I hate hate hated the music with a fiery passion. I get it’s the 80s, and it certainly sounded that way, but everything still managed to feel very much out of place.
There was a decent story somewhere in here, but the execution was off. And things like the stepmother slapfest in the beginning were just plain unnecessary.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘The Night Flier’:
I’ve never wanted a main character to be eaten more.
This felt less like a feature film and more like a long episode of Tales From the Crypt, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
It was a simple tale, but particularly unique in the vast vampire realm of film. I enjoyed the use of flashbacks and the way the story unfolded. But the vibes win here. It felt classically creepy. Nothing that’ll give you nightmares, but a properly-atmospheric watch during spooky season.
Bonus Thought: Why the hell was their boss so unhinged?
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Talk to Me’:
It peaked with that brutal scene, when the game took a violent turn (I straight-up gasped), which was fairly early on, and the rest of the film never really reached that level of shock again.
Was it just me, or was the audio pretty awful? So many conversations were unclear. I couldn’t understand how the mom died. She took too many pills, on accident, and then clawed at the door? How does that work?
I really liked the concept of the hand (albeit somewhat confusing). And I think it’s interesting to see it used as some sort of party game. But when characters are dumb enough to revel in something so awful, it’s difficult to care about their fate. I wasn’t fully invested in them.
3 Thoughts After Re-Watching ‘Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion’:
Is it a perfect film? No. But it’s absolutely iconic. And sometimes that’s more than enough.
Lisa Kudrow is most definitely the “Mary.” While it’s no competition, and the two leads play off each other with ridiculous perfection, she is just such a genius with her comedic timing. Michele Weinberger is everything.
There’s a ton of joy in watching a film that’s pure 90s while simultaneously celebrating the 80s. This is an awesome time capsule — and one that’s always worth revisiting.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Oppenheimer’:
Much of the film, particularly in the beginning, felt more like a montage than a movie. The scattered-ness of the scenes created a disconnect that made it difficult to absorb what exactly was going on.
Why the black and white? What purpose did that serve? I’ll probably find out at some point, but it’d be nice to know in real time.
I certainly didn’t expect Nolan to give us Oppenheimer for Dummies, but I really wish he would have. Performances were clearly impressive (I’m looking at you, Cillian), but they’re hard to fully appreciate when everyone is having rapid-fire conversations about fairly complex situations — and you’re too busy trying to keep up. This being my biggest qualm.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Barbie’:
It started off strong and wonderfully ridiculous. It should have stayed ridiculous. Instead, they tried wayyy too hard to convey some deep message that got lost in the shuffle. There was a missed opportunity to be incredibly poignant but, once it became Kens vs. Barbies, it became rather cheesy.
As impeccable and otherworldly-endearing as Robbie is, I feel like Gosling was the one who really shined here. He delivered the best laughs, solidly, and he’s generally SUCH a terrific performer. I loved his little ditty and almost forgot about his La La Land skills.
I really liked the music! Lizzo’s intro was hysterical, the dance scenes were super fun, and I can’t get Billie Eilish’s closing ballad out of my head.
Bonus Thought: I see you, Allan.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Elemental’:
One would think that such a creative idea of elements as characters, opposing elements falling in love, would make for a dazzling, emotional story perfectly-fit for Pixar. Alas, it was all a bit bland as there was no true focus. This may actually be Pixar’s messiest project.
The pacing was off from the start, as I initially struggled to stay awake. Our blue water lead, Wade, had a moment when he tells his fiery Ember that they changed each other’s chemistry. But their relationship, their struggle, never properly evolved. There was no chemistry.
The characters themselves were cute, no doubt. I found the excessive crying from the water clan particularly amusing. But, placed in a lineup with the rest of Pixar’s roster, they’re sadly sorta forgettable.
Bonus Thought: Everyone made a big stink that fire and water simply cannot mix. To me, that was supposed to be the big conflict, a major part of the story that would culminate in some epic revelation. But they basically gave each other a high five and all was well. Underwhelming.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Mysterious Skin’:
I didn’t even know this film existed, until it was recommended to me, and wow… that was heavy… an understatement at that. This is quite a tragic and challenging watch, a reminder that movies are not always meant to entertain. But while it’s dark, there is beauty in the friendships, and light found between two victims who are no longer alone in their trauma. Still, it’s a tough journey to sit through.
Did the parents not know what was going on?! I understand that the focus wasn’t on them, but I wish they would have been confronted a bit more.
It was crazy to see Joseph Gordon-Levitt take on such a daring role. His performance here is certainly a testament to his talent and is definitely the standout of the film.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘The Serpent and the Rainbow’:
What the hell happened to the tribe and Dennis’ pilot in the beginning?
The scene when Dennis’ room transformed into a coffin and started filling up with blood was a standout. I give the film points for a few solid visuals.
Voodoo movies are innately creepy (see The Skeleton Key). I enjoyed that element and liked the idea of him heading back to Haiti to battle it out for the girl, the inevitable climax. But said battle ended up being a buncha nonsense and I was ultimately left wholly dissatisfied.
Bonus Thought: The narration was inconsistent and didn’t serve the plot at all.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Escape Room: Tournament of Champions’:
Alrighty then… I’ll admit that they got me with that final twist, but I can’t escape (wink-wink) the fact that they pretty much botched the ending. So damn rushed and thrown together. The puzzle-maker backstory didn’t have to get that complicated (mindless entertainment should remain fairly mindless). And we deserved an extra room.
Watching characters in a film solve puzzles is only entertaining when you can kinda play along too. They really rushed through them here — and I found it hard to keep up.
There was some good here! The two main characters are super endearing, and I liked that they linked this story directly and seamlessly to the original… something not all sequels succeed in. And, like the original, the set pieces are still fun.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Triangle’:
This is precisely the kind of movie where you go in completely blind. Don’t read about it. Don’t watch a trailer. Just press play and enjoy endlessly trying to make sense of what you’re watching. I certainly did. Still am.
Sooo many questions. So much mystery. So much to decipher. What was real? Who was real? Was there a ton of thought put into the story with tales of Sisyphus? Or is there just a bunch of plot holes for us to never truly understand? I usually don’t enjoy movies that leave me scratching my head so much, but this was actually satisfying and I appreciate what they tried to do.
I felt bad only giving this a 7, but… as much as I enjoyed it and found it refreshingly original, I wonder if it’ll be at the cinematic forefront of my memory when it comes time to recommend a great flick to a friend.
Bonus Thought: It could have used a liiittle more Liam Hemsworth.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Escape Room’:
I went into this looking for mindless entertainment, and that’s exactly what I got. I can say that my expectations were evenly met. But there was definitely some wit in here as well.
Mindless movie fun might sound easy to muster up, but it’s not possible without decent characters. And, I’ve gotta say, this ensemble was pretty solid. I actually cared what happened to them — and the leading smartypants was super likable.
As an admirer of escape rooms myself, I really enjoyed the set pieces. It was fun to see what room they’d find themselves in next, and what the puzzles would entail. I almost wish these actually existed… minus the fatalities. Maybe they do…
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘The Funhouse’:
I feel very betrayed by the awesome poster/cover photo. That psychotic clown image really grabs ya, makes you think you’re in for a horrific treat. But that dude was nowhere to be seen. Not a single clown in sight actually. Instead, we get a guy in the most unconvincing Halloween mask ever, with Albert Einstein hair no less, and the grating attitude of a whiny teenager. Not scary, y’all.
It started out oh-so-promising. Solid 80s horror vibes in a super creepy setting. I was even okay with the hour-long, slow-burning setup. But it went nowhere fast, and there was zero payoff. Awful ending.
So much time was spent on the brother. For absolutely no reason.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Cherry Falls’:
An odd movie with very odd characters. Their actions and motives were all over the place. They weren’t written well at all.
Was this supposed to be a horror movie? It started as a Scream knockoff, then veered off into absurdity. Setting this story in a town called Cherry Falls, in Virginia, already tells us that we shouldn’t take this film very seriously. There was no horror here. The creepiest parts about it were the dynamics between the adults and kids, especially Jody and her parents. Cringe city.
This is not a good film. And there’s not one redeemable character to root for. The entertainment value here lies solely within all the ridiculousness that ensues. The over-the-top one-liners. The toe sucking. It’s just all bonkers — and, while I wouldn’t recommend this ever, you kinda can’t help but wonder what silliness will happen next.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘The Changeling’:
That, in my opinion, was NOT an easy story to follow. I get the basics, but the nitty gritty details were poorly executed. I hate when that happens. Make it make all the sense, please.
Maybe this film set a precedent/foundation for future “let’s solve the mystery of why I’m being haunted” films. Maybe not. But as a story on its own, it falls flat. Plot points felt random, without purpose, and wholly disconnected (especially that ending). There was no big revelation. Everything kinda felt a bit pointless as the credits rolled.
When the first sign of a ghostly presence popped up — a single piano key played on its own — it became abundantly clear that I was in for an unimaginative haunted house journey. The haunts were indeed basic and not even a little spooky. With such a quality setting, and score, there was certainly potential for so much more.
3 Thoughts After Re-Watching ‘The Strangers’:
Classic examples of characters making stupid decisions. I’m sorry, but they just did not try hard enough. Homegirl may as well have had a bell tied to her pants.
Standard home invasion fare here. Super simple story with creepy elements that rely heavily on the “look behind you!” mentality. It wasn’t awful, but it could’ve given us something a bit more memorable.
I love Scott Speedman and Liv Tyler. If they weren’t the leads, I may have given this a lower score.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Fresh’:
Everybody needs a friend like Mollie.
I didn’t expect Sebastian Stan to play creepy so well. Solid performances all around.
I thought it was pretty tame for a film about cannibalism, but I was okay with it. Overall, it was definitely an entertaining (and fairly unpredictable) watch.
Bonus Thought: She totally ate Mollie’s boob.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Army of the Dead’:
That ending was quite unsatisfying.
It was difficult for me to get invested in this movie. The plot felt thrown together, just to make a seemingly-cool zombie action flick. If Tanaka only wanted blood from a zombie, recruiting an entire team was overkill. He only needed the blonde. The driving plot of a heist was ultimately a waste for us all. And why would Kate not STAY WITH THE CHILDREN? Leaving them completely alone to find a presumably-dead mother (who dies anyway) doesn’t make much sense. In the end, I just didn’t care about any of this.
Zombie evolution, for me, stops at them being fast. It worked really well in Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead remake. But pregnant zombie queens and their super-strong, super-intelligent zombie boyfriend overlords? Ritualistic style zombifications? Yeah, ya lost me.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Cemetery Man’:
What the hell did I just watch?
This entire movie made veryyy little sense. It seems like that was kinda the point, but the writing was absurd and there were obvious continuity issues. It was a challenging watch.
It gets just a couple points for being ridiculous enough to warrant a few laughs — and for having Rupert Everett to look at.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘The Flash’:
First and foremost, every single time any semblance of Danny Elfman’s Batman theme could be heard, I was filled with immediate joy. Having Keaton back was a gift I never thought I’d receive. And, honestly, he was the primary reason I went to the theatre.
The spaghetti metaphor was completely lost on me. And so was that weird “timeline arena” setup. I thought they did a horrible job explaining the multiverse and how Barry did whatever he did.
There were moments of solid humor that generated laughter from our theatre. And there was a decent amount of heart that warranted some tears. But nostalgia is the winner here. The best parts, for me, were the walks down DC memory lane, cameos reliving the greatest (and, erm… unique) hits of the historic comic universe. They not only reminded us how great these characters can be, but also — unfortunately — that we’ve veered far away from that greatness.
Bonus Thought: So. Much. CGI. And it wasn’t even good CGI. Far from it actually. With Gunn’s DCU on the horizon, did they just not want to waste the money?
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘The Night Eats the World’:
After all this time, we finally learn that silent zombies may be the creepiest of all the zombies.
They didn’t waste any time getting right into it, did they? Homeboy started salvaging food like he was starving after only a single night in that building. I liked that they didn’t need to explain the zombie rules. They knew that we knew, and just hit the ground running.
Even though this film came first, I saw :pound_symbol:Alive before it. Lots of similarities, from what I remember. A story of isolation and solitude. It wasn’t terrible. I enjoyed the actor / lead character. But the plot points weren’t exactly groundbreaking.
Bonus Thought: That scene in the smoke-filled apartment was solid.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘The Dark and the Wicked’:
Stupid characters making stupid decisions. Always fun.
This movie was all mood and no substance. Sufficiently creepy, but I needed to care when all was said and done. I didn’t.
Towards the end, I saw this vague hodgepodge of haunted house / possession cliches coming together to maybe make some revelatory sense. But then it ended. And that was that.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘The Little Mermaid’:
Halle Bailey IS Ariel. She was absolute perfection. From voice to vibe, she captured her essence impeccably. I believe a star has officially been born.
Melissa McCarthy had veryyy gargantuan tentacles to fill. And I think Pat Carroll would’ve been incredibly pleased with what she did with her sea witch.
I thought they built upon the original film’s story in all the right ways. Fleshing it out to make a little more sense. Providing more substance. While not everything was picture perfect, it worked and gave fresh magic to a beloved story.
Bonus Thought: I thought it was a fantastic movie to look at, especially under the sea. Gorgeous colors and visuals. Eye candy all around. And that includes Jonah Hauer-King. :pound_symbol:snack
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Love and Monsters’:
There were some icky moments. Some of those creatures made me squirm a bit. I thought the effects were pretty solid.
The Mav1s moment and the friendly crab scene were particularly sweet. Gotta give this movie credit for having a little heart.
It was a cute film. And a story told well. But there’s something missing, something I can’t put my finger on, that keeps it from being something truly memorable.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’:
I have a rough time getting invested in this genre of film. Unlike many, I hated Spirited Away, and I didn’t expect much here. But I liked this one better! It started out strong, with a Wizard of Oz-esque companion journey full of whimsy and magic. But then the second half descended into that familiar nonsensical storytelling that leaves way too much up for interpretation. So much is unclear. I, personally, enjoy clarity.
One thing I’ll praise about this movie are the characters. They’re super endearing and very likable. They gave me Land of Misfit Toy vibes. You rooted for them, even though you may not have known what for lol. Turnip-Head was my fave. And I love what they did with the Witch. I didn’t see her joining the crew. Nice little twist there.
Gorgeous animation. I particularly loved the way the Witch of the Waste was drawn. And, of course, the Moving Castle.
