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Reviews
Ingrid Goes West (2017)
Aubrey Plaza was wonderful
This is not the typical type of movie I like. But Aubrey Plaza is hilarious to me. She was the main draw. This is not a comedy, but a story about social media addiction and mental health.
Aubrey plays a pretty demented person, and she has some comedic moments, but don't expect more than the occasional dark joke. The show is realistic, and I gave it a 10 based on the wonderful acting and a successful conclusion.
This may not be an academy award winner, but Oscar seeking directors have and will continue to use This performance by Plaza as a litmus test for more dramatic roles. I look forward to seeing more of her darker roles.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
This was a 9, but weighting it based on modern quality baseline...
I throughly enjoyed this movie. Some of these reviews lead me to believe that people hated the idea of another modern Indy movie and trashed it without seeing it. The reviews talk about "replacing" Indy or "discrediting" his past experiences. None of this happened. Helena has no nod toward a next film. Helena was also sort of villainous at the beginning and redeems herself later. She shows no signs (at least In the movie) of being feminist.
Indiana Jones wasn't "neutered" or "watered down" at all. Despite having Kathleen Kennedy as a producer, I did not see any signs of Disney adding some ideology to the movie. It really felt like a movie set in the 60s.
Still classic Indy to me, but the movie explores the of age. It doesn't weaken Indy, but changes his strategy to being more of a MacGyver in some situations. He does still kick ass, but they managed to keep the stunt work to the scene with the horse and excellent driving scenes. The fistfights are convincing to me and the story is enthralling. Madds Mikkelson is also an excellent Nazi.
Ghostbusters (2016)
Paul Fieg is not a Sci-Fi writer.
I own Ghostbusters 1&2 on every format it has existed in (except laserdisc). Also loved Paul Fieg's other movies (Bridesmaids, Masterminds, etc.). I even love this cast and tuned into the trailer the moment the countdown timer hit zero in 2015. I felt like a mixed gender team would be fine, but it would throw off the dynamic. So the all women cast was still promising. I had also been waiting for SOMETHING Ghostbusters related for 20 years.
I'm also notorious for liking remakes or poorly received movies/sequels.
I tried tempering my expectations in case I didn't like it and watched this after hearing good and bad things, but ultimately I HATED it. I felt like the chemistry these actresses had in their past movies was hidden behind phony caricatures. It was like they were acting out over dramatic cartoon characters. Such a waste of legitimately great talent.
The jokes were a dime a dozen, but only one or two landed softly. The rest just muddied up the script and story. I've noticed that bad comedies usually rely on multiple one liners that flop (Dumb and Dumberer, Son of the Mask, etc.) Quantity over quality jokes coming to you rapid fire . No setups, just tons of goofy dialogue strung together.
Part of my issue was also the villain. I didn't care for the actor. Toby Jones was originally cast to play the bad guy and I think that would have made a better movie. Also, I liked the paranormal and mysterious bad guys in the originals. They were borderline scary, but the humor was just enough to water down the fear factor.
I give this one star because I really didn't want to finish it. The story, the acting, and the actual dialogue were just bland.
Not to mention, I'm a car nerd as well. I love the original Ecto-1 because I'd never seen one in real life. The Miller Meteor/Cadillac from the fifties was much more unique in the 1984 GB movie. It had the fins that ONLY the 50s and 60s had. The Fleetwood in the 2016 movie was just a boring mass produced model. I've seen hundreds of these Cadillacs on the streets, so it made it look much less interesting. The proton packs looked decent, but there were a lot of gadgets that seemed like cobbled together cgi.
All in all, I think this had potential to be great. I just think that the actresses were sort of boxed in by the script. I know sequels were planned, but the movie didn't earn them. I'm shocked that this got the critical fanfare that it did. This is one of the many reasons I don't read reviews by big critics anymore.
My advice: Give it a shot (I do know a couple of people who liked it). If you're bored in the first 25 minutes, don't bother with the rest.
Lightyear (2022)
Far from bad but a bit short of good...
I feel like this could have had more comedy like Toy Story. There are a few funny bits (and the animation is gorgeous), but the story is a little bit lacking to carry the movie all on it's own. I feel like it had a beginning and a middle and no end. The character's were also pretty flat (although I loved the aesthetic of the characters, vehicles, robots, and structures).
There is really only one "Macguffin", or plot device, that was protected and carried through to the end. There wasn't really an explanation as to why it existed or enough of a story to have any twists. There is one twist in the plot that will bring back memories to a scene from toy story 2, but it's a twist because of the painfully obvious retcon. It isn't something really built up to.
The movie was ultimately predictable with a few comical characters (some of which are introduced and never heard of again). The bottom line is that there are some good jokes, the visuals are excellent, and that is about it. I don't feel like it was created by true buzz fanatics or that it was really well baked before it was produced. It feels like a cash grab to me.
Kimi (2022)
Loved it
I think the idea for this movie goes against the grain for Steven Soderbergh, but it was one of the most inventive ideas I've seen and was executed well without the typical cliches he is known for. It isn't about a badass woman, but one with autistic and agoraphobic tendencies who happens to become a badass out of necessity. She also manages to get to a great place where she can escape and call the cops, but she takes the heroic route to save a dying man in her apartment.
I really felt dread throughout the first 3/4ths of the movie, as the feeling of walls closing in on Angela was really well done. I was amazed by the inventiveness of the end. Sort of had home alone vibes (but In A clever way).
The nail gun was actually brought up previously in the movie when Angela calls the contractor. She also had lots of knowledge of construction based on her father's line of work (who renovated her apartment). It sort of made sense then that she knew how to escape to the upper floor through her closet and knew where the nail gun was located. I'm no expert on the art of film, but I believe that foreshadowing was the right word.
I also enjoyed the quirks that Zoe Kravitz brought to her character. I only saw her in a previous X-men movie, but I really see her as a believable and likeable actress. I didn't catch Batman yet, but I look forward to her interpretation of Selena Kyle.
I also like the use of the DMZ in Seattle for Angela to be attacked and thrown into a truck to be kidnapped. Considering this actually happened at protests in 2020 and 2021, it made this a nice period piece. It made for an exciting scene of the protesters flooding the kidnappers to help her escape.
Overall, The movie did sort of slow to a crawl at times, but it was unique enough to keep me engaged. I really wanted to see Angela succeed.
In the end, Angela faces her fears and changes her hair color from blue to pink. She also finally met her love interest in person at the food truck as intended dressed in an upgraded version of her usual hoodie. I enjoy this type of on screen evolution of a character (and most action movies have very shallow characters. She was in the doldrums and blue for most of the film, and graduated into the person she was before the pandemic and her past consisting of a sexual assault.
I hope that this movie becomes a cult classic, because I really thought that this was a very creative Interlude to Soderbergh's other more action packed movies. I also wish it had a theatrical release. I'm not a big Soderbergh fan, but Well done sir. I hope there are more clever underdog stories to come.
The Shrink Next Door (2021)
Really enjoyable
I think the series was great. This coming from a guy with anxiety that has been to therapy who DOESN'T care for drama series.
The acting is fantastic, but I presume that the story might not be for everyone. People with anxiety will relate, but otherwise most people won't like a story devoid of action and without comedy at every turn.
While the conclusion is bitter sweet, this probably isn't the show for the faint of heart. But it was a story that deserved to be told.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
Fantastic! Signed- GB Fanboy
I loved the first two (yes, even number 2) and I thought that the 2016 version was awful. Love the director and the actresses, but it was a misfire. I'm also a very picky person with my movies (I love and rewatch maybe 15 movies regularly). This will be a new entry in my favorites list. It was spectacular.
I've been disappointed by newer entries into my favorite sagas countless times (Men in Black, Die Hard, ghostbusters ... ). I tend to pick apart movies and scrutinize them for continuity errors, unnecessary retconning, distracting cameos, etc.
I had high expectations for this movie going in and it still exceeded my expectations. The casting was spot on, and the kids were great (I didn't like "Podcast" at the beginning, but he grows on you.)
I am grading this on a bell curve, as I believe no movie is perfect (even my #1: Back to the Future). I'd rate this very close to the first Ghostbusters and round both out to a ten. The overwhelmingly blissful 80s nostalgia is not here in this one, but a new generation of actors really carry forward the story (and make a very fitting conclusion to the original story arc from ... holy sh$t... 38 years ago).
There isn't a lot of unnecessary nostalgia as said before, and each original character plays a very important role versus popping in just for a cameo (besides the dead and old timey taxi driver). Even Annie Potts!
The part that I view as being a downside for some viewers would be the "history repeats itself" plot. Think the Hoverboard Chase in 2015 Hill Valley and the skateboard chase in 1955. The main villain from GB 1 is back, and the chain of events is similar (but only at a general plot level. The movie itself is very different).
Some may see too many similarities, but I feel like the movie was built from the ground up to be this way. The alternative would be writes and rewrites until the studio said "Yep, this will be profitable". I believe the studio would want to replicate the original without replicating it, and these writers and directors did a "Spielsbergian" job of it.
I can't wait to rewatch this...
Finch (2021)
Fantastic movie!
This movie was refreshing. A great story, but definitely a tragedy/ cautionary tale wrapped up in a sci-if adventure movie. It will make you cry.
Without spoiling it, I would say that the underlying theme is to "live a little." Sometimes the grass really is greener on the other side, and you usually won't find your way there alone.
Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)
This movie was very okay...
The premise was good. The acting was decent. But not a whole lot went on. I like movies like "Volcano" with over the top storylines and action. I also like movies like this writer's other movie "Sicario". Where realism is heavy at the expense of over the top action. This fell in between. Not too realistic of a scenario and not a lot of action to take advantage of the wild storyline. I give it a 7. Worth a watch if it's free on streaming :).
Them (2021)
Great Show!
I am 2 episodes in and love the show. The acting is phenomenal. I am very impressed with the main cast. The set design is also incredible. Even the cgi skyline of Compton is impressive. There are lots of intricate details that completely envelop you in the storyline.
As a warning, The racism in this show is very intense and not for the faint of heart. What makes it so scary is how realistic it is. It's all dramatized but still very hard to watch.
On top of the race aspect, It is a very intense show. It gives vibes that the walls are closing in on this family. Throw supernatural thriller/horror vibes on top of that and it's enough to make your head explode.
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
So incredibly campy
First off... I don't care for wonder woman. I also don't care for any DC characters or storylines. I watched this since there really isn't a whole lot more on and because I do like Kristen Wiig. I figured a comical plot (which it was) and a comedienne as a villain would be fun. It actually was an oddly entertaining movie, but not in the way the writers intended.
The CGI was subpar in a lot of places and the look of "Cheetah" was too goofy for me. I'd have preferred a more realistic mutant look. The cinematography and choreography was overdone yet the actual scenes were poorly implemented. Lots of goofy assed action reminiscent of 80s shows like "Knight Rider". I would say that this is a good family film for little girls though.
In many ways, This movie was such a quirky mess that I was able to finish it in one sitting! The first Wonder Woman movie was a decent movie but it took THREE SITTINGS to finish it. This required half of my attention and when I missed dialogue, I didn't really care too much.
4/10 since some of the characters were likable and the throwback feel was interesting.
Earth to Ned (2020)
I love this show.
It's semi scripted (obviously, because puppets are built for specific skits) but FYI the guests have a watered down script and most of the jokes are told for the first time in front of the guest. I also get the impression The Ned puppeteer ad libs a bit. It's as much a late night show as it is a real talk show. It's humor that the whole family will be able to watch with some innuendo that is craftily hidden behind the trademark Muppets veneer. For example.
"Wow, this is a great space deck, but it's smaller than I expected"
"Well, the other deck is better, but it's not about the size of the deck..."
Someone else said they missed Craig Ferguson and that this is a worthy replacement. I agree! It's super stupid yet highly clever. So glad Disney+ brought it back after hiatus.
Chairman of the Board (1997)
A living cartoon
If you go in expecting it to be bad, then you will be right. If the exact dialogue was used and put into a Rick and morty pg-13 movie, it'd average 6 stars.
Don't get me wrong, the effects and most of the jokes are dumb, but it is a huge 90s throwback. It was refreshing in a way. I gave it a 5 since by 90s standards it was filmed and thrown together poorly. But it was so bad that it was somewhat good. Watch it because it's a bad movie and enjoy it at those standards.
The Amber Ruffin Show (2020)
Wonderful show!
This show is excellent. Amber has a really rare form of humor. As a writer, her jokes have great timing and are very smart. She is also GREAT at presenting her jokes with a very goofy and slapstick delivery. There's also a sense of warmth about her that makes her feel less like a celebrity and more like a quirky friend.
The reason this show is likely lowly rated right now is because the audience of the Peacock streaming service doesn't seem to be taking off yet. She also has no guests or audience because of the pandemic (which they make plenty of fun of).
This show is also, while excellent, not for everyone. The political climate is very polarizing nowadays, and Amber is obviously very liberal in her views based on her jokes. She also discusses race and makes light fun of white people (but it's all in jest, and she is married to a white man). I personally am a politically independent white man and find a majority of these jokes absolutely hysterical. I just wish people would be more open minded about this.
She also discusses topics dealing with racism and feminism with seriousness on occasion. I'd say 30 percent of her show is dedicated towards social issues. I'd suggest watching this show with an open mind and realize that Amber isn't the "political agenda" type. Bill Maher and Stephen Colbert fit that category. Amber talks politics from her own experience which I think is so important.
Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (1992)
This is a childhood staple of mine
I love this movie. I find It hilarious and I think that the story is well told and put together. The special effects hold up decently for being such an old movie. Also, the music has been tweaked from the original, and the score is fantastic! I am probably biased since I was mesmerized by this movie when I was so young. It was the first time I saw Vegas on a screen or otherwise, and to have a kid trashing the Strip was epic. Admittedly, when I watched it 15+ years later, it didn't feel as big or extravagant. I really enjoy the original too, and I even liked the third one (although I probably couldn't sit through that one again being a mature adult.
I rated this 10 stars for the pure enjoyment of reminiscing in my childhood.
The Vast of Night (2019)
Bad With a few hard to find good qualities.
I think the actors and director are about as good as anyone for being new. This is sort of like a thesis film as far as quality goes. It required a lot of talent to make but a hell of an attention span to stay awake. I feel like making a movie requires some risks to stand out. This movie was easy as pie. Just no real substance.
I love the 50s era, the Twilight Zone, and Sci-Fi. This movie blended elements from all three. However, The set was not a very believable one. It's set in a very tiny town in New Mexico. Many scenes are filmed in one take which doesn't really add anything to the film (besides a longer and painful duration).
For a movie filmed in the dark, the lighting was AWFUL. Just very dark to the point that the glare from your room will spoil the movie AND increasing brightness would spoil the movie with splotchy blacks and artifacts. I don't believe the camera quality was high either. There are no jump scares or special effects, so I feel like it could've started at twilight and ended in the dark.
One last gripe... every car in this podunk town looked like a ground up restomod. The cars were all flashy and in unbelievable condition. The parts with half decent lighting were on a lit street and it looked like everyone just put a second coat of wax on.
Besides those gripes about the visuals, the story and script was very dull. The climax was at the very tail end of the movie, and it was the most obvious possible ending. I won't spoil it, but if you read the synopsis and take a guess, then you've got a 99% chance of guessing up something more interesting.
All in all, if you want to see a great Sci-Fi movie that is ACTUALLY from a Long gone era, watch Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)
I'm picky, but I loved it.
I think this movie was destined to get a 5 or 6 because half of terminator fans liked Rise of the Machines, Salvation, and Genesys will see this as riddled with continuity errors. Obviously, the original director is taking this in the direction he had originally intended and has "omitted" the other sequels.
I loved this movie. Special effects were excellent, it offered a great storyline for an update taking place in 2020, (instead of a cop, the protagonist shapeshifts into a border patrol agent) and it followed the winning formula of "new robot-new abilities."
For All Mankind (2019)
Not propaganda...
It's a good show. Not feminist, but a pretty feasible and unique idea for an alternate history sort of show. Also, I could see how women in space could further the storyline and create a ripple effect in the hypothetical world. I think it's a pretty great story.
If you think about it, Nixon was known to be racist and anti-Semitic, but he was never particularly biased against women. For that reason, the story is somewhat feasible.
And whenever there is a race of any kind between countries, whoever is first sort of deflates the sails of everyone else. The brilliant women in this story are based on real women who worked for NASA. If we lost to the USSR, it only makes sense that we'd try to be "first" in another way. Sending women would really be our only other option. Robots had been sent before (by China), men were sent (by Russia), animals were sent by multiple countries... It would also be the perfect way to get back at Russia by undermining their Marxist Speech and symbolizing equality.
Joker (2019)
Great Movie.
I saw Joaquin's first Joker Reel in the teaser a year ago and thought it looked pretty terrible. Mainly because of the choice of music. The movie actually had a pretty good choice of music (taking place in what seemed like the early to mid eighties). And it turns out the Joker is a pretty freaky dude. The origin story was so well done that he is actually freakier than the enigmatic Ledger version.
While this is a great standalone origin story, the studio would be absolutely stupid not to incorporate this joker into the next Batman movie. If rumor is to be believed, WB will try and outdo themselves again and continue their fail streak.
If you need to have a Robert Pattinson/Leto kids version and a grittier R-Rated version with Phoenix and a different Bruce Wayne (idk, maybe Josh Brolin is the IT clown guy), then DO IT!
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's 'All in the Family' and 'The Jeffersons' (2019)
I got excited. Thought it was a series.
I really hope you bring this back, I was hoping for Sanford and Son next week. The acting isn't perfect which is the best part. I could list off hundreds of shows I'd like to see. Maybe let the audience vote on the show and actors for each season.
Child's Play (2019)
Fantastic
Not really a horror movie perse, but it was phenomenal. I didn't like the original. I think the story of the original series is worn out. This one was more of a horror comedy. Like a Small Soldiers on steroids.
Homecoming (2018)
It's very interesting
I'm picky as hell with shows. This one is pretty slow as far as action goes, but it'll work your mind. You'll desperately want to figure things out. If you loved The psychological aspect of Mr Robot, then you will love this.
I also love the style of filming. Lots of cool sights.
Men in Black: International (2019)
Yup. A 10.
Loved the originals, but when I saw the reviews I set my expectations low. I'd say this one was the second best after the first one. You will like it if you liked Back to the Future 2.
Lots of "history repeats itself" feel to it. Completely original yet follows the formula of the original. And it knows it. Movies like this usually only succeed when they're really funny. And I thought this one was. The second men in black cranked it up to 11 with alien craziness, but the aliens got more boring in the third. The aliens in this one were hilarious.
This movie doesn't rely on the cast of the original. The cameos are likely there to extend an olive branch in case tommy and will come back. Which they've already said no. And Tommy's fighting choreography is sort of stilted now anyways. I miss the original cast, but they were luckily able to cherry pick the chemistry from Ragnarok: and it paid off.
Without putting spoilers in, I can say the movie follows the same construct of the original but rebuilds it with new character chemistry and a completely different story. If it didn't, it would be terrible! It doesn't really delve into the originals at all. It has Easter eggs, but if you're not looking out for them, it's a perfect standalone movie.
My favorite joke is the celebrity alien jokes. Not going to spoil them this time(but there is a sub-Atlantic hyperloop....hint hint).
Hellboy (2019)
Very fun action comedy
Great action comedy. I went in expecting a comedy and got what I expected. I laughed quite a bit. Good action too. It was by far better than the first hellboy, but the second had a great story and cooler monsters. Had to knock off a few points because the special effects were not to par and the action scenes could get quite silly (sometimes intentional, but sometimes at inopportune times.)
Also, Hellboy has some cool side characters in the first two (the fish guy and the gaseous German scientist). Don't recall their names, but they were cool as hell!
If you're a fan of the comics, you'll probably hate it. If you like David Harbour's humor in Stranger things and just want some gory and crass fun, then it's worth a shot.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Perfect. Yes. It was perfect!
No spoilers here. 22 movies, 11 years, and multiple story arcs to tie together. A MASSIVE and record breaking task. Not only that, but I was expecting a lot and got MORE than what I expected. Infinity war was incomplete (on purpose). Unfortunately it just didn't feel like a complete story. This movie is a complete story in and of itself, and it ties in well. More action, more acting, good humor, and TIME TRAVEL!! Also, no credit scenes. This is the end of the current Avengers saga as we know it. Expect teasers for the next team, but don't expect any hints of the next saga's story.