Review:
'You Should Have Left' is a psychological horror film directed by David Koepp. It follows a middle-aged man (Kevin Bacon), his successful actress wife (Amanda Seyfried), and their young daughter (Avery Tiiu Essex) who book a haunted vacation home in Wales that begins to wear down their sanity.
This is a very confusing film and a hard one to review without digging into spoilers, but I will do my best. First thing is that this is not your run of the mill psychologic thriller. This is a movie that takes the idea of 'Groundhog Day' as if written by M. Night Shyamalan, while being in a modern-day version the Amityville Horror house. Now, that may sound good on paper, but it turned into a confusing story on screen.
Talking abut the acting, it was okay at best. I am a fan of Kevin Bacon, especial in the 90's and early 2000's with his darker films like 'Death Sentence' and 'Stir of Echoes' which was from the writer and director of this film. But there were times in this movie where he seemed to be holding back. Amanda Seyfried was flat during the film and never expressed any emotions that were necessary for us to feel sympathetic nor angry at her character. Avery Tiiu Essex who plays the couples daughter was actually pretty good in the movie and was the most compelling character hands down. From the very first scene we are routing for her character and at times feel scared for her.
Now, there is an age difference between Amanda Seyfried and Kevin Bacon's character. Even though the film did this on purpose, it was still very distracting and the two did not have any chemistry on screen. They feel like a new couple even though they have been together for years and have a young daughter together. But, pushing that to the side, it not the biggest problem in this movie. It's the fact that it's labeled as a horror film and the horror is pushed in the background to focus more on the characters relationship is a weird choice to say the least. Nothing happens horror wise or story structure wise until one hour into this film and it's only 90 minutes long.
Overall, it is an interesting concept with poor execution. I'm interested to see what reviews this film gets by both critics and audiences. If you're a fan of Kevin Bacon give this one a try, but don't watch it if you're a fan of their earlier collaboration 'Stir of Echoes' because you will be disappointed, muh like myself.
2.5/5
Reviews
169 Reviews
Irresistible
(I) (2020)
Too Political With No Laughs
7 July 2020
Review:
'Irresistible' is a political comedy film written and directed by Jon Stewart. It follows a Democratic strategist (Steve Carell) who tries to help a local candidate (Chris Cooper) win an election in a small right-wing town.
Honestly, without the cast, this movie may have been a total disaster. Steve Carell, as expected, carries the whole thing to safe harbor. I always loved his mannerisms and expressions, even when some people find them over-the-top or unnecessary. Chris Cooper delivers a phenomenal display as Jack Hastings, the Democrat's candidate and Mackenzie Davis returns to her good performance, by playing the not-that-innocent daughter, Diana Hastings. However, I felt like Rose Byrne was trying too hard, ad it didn't feel as natural as it did with the other actors. I do enjoy het comedic presence is films, this one just felt off to me.
From the very beginning until the start of these last few minutes, it's a pretty straightforward political comedy with nothing being remotely unique or ground-breaking. I didn't even chuckle at most of the jokes, and when I did, it was more due to the actor's performance than the joke on itself. Now, the ending was nearly perfect. I won't give anything away, but when the ending of this movie started to get rolling, I was sold, and I thought it was brilliant and ballsy of Jon Stewart. Then they extended it for five extra minutes to try and get some last-minute laughs in and it felt flat. If those extra minutes had been scrapped, I would have loved this ending and it would have made the movie a whole lot better.
Overall, it is your run of the mill comedy film, and sometimes the laughs don't hit they their supposed to, but I still had a good time watching it. If you like Steve Carell, you will get enjoyment out of this movie, but if you're a take him or leave him kind of person, I would say not to worry about this one.
3/5
I Wasn't the Right Audience
7 July 2020
Review:
'Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga' is a musical comedy film directed by David Dobkin. The film follows Icelandic singers Lars Erickssong (Will Farrell) and Sigrit Ericksdóttir (Rachel McAdams) as they are given the chance to represent their country at the Eurovision Song Contest.
A movie that has a better soundtrack then it does story, that's this movie. I didn't go into it with the highest of expectations, the trailers didn't get me excited at all, but the star power of Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams was strong enough to get a viewing from me.
With me basically watching this movie because of its stars, I was hoping they would be as good as they are in other films, but they are a massive let down in this. Will Ferrell's comedic presence was very flat, and he was not his charismatic self he can be. Rachel McAdams was better to watch her work on screen, but her Icelandic accent was horrid, and it always throws me off when they get an actress that doesn't sing the material with their co-star. Will Ferrell was singing in the film where Rachel McAdams parts to dubbed over by a professional singer. This was also the case with Dan Stevens character, but he was able to provide a better and bigger on-screen presence then the two leads in the film, and that's another problem.
This may be yet another film that just wasn't made to be viewed by myself. It is getting very good reviews both critically and by audiences saying it is a good representation of how important Eurovision is. I just don't feel that it was made to be a comedy because it didn't have any jokes that landed to me and they possibly should have had actual Icelandic actors in the film. I will say that the ending of the film was beautiful and had my eyes glued to the screen, but it also feels like it should have been in a different film.
Overall, this movie was a miss for me, but am I only one of many reviewers. There are also some sad moments in the film which I love, but they are very subtle, and you will miss them if you don't pay attention. Maybe if you don't go into this movie expecting it to be funny or a typical Will Ferrell film it will come off as a better film. It was better than 'Holmes and Watson', but that's the best thing I can say about this film.
2/5
Hamilton
(2020)
Brilliant Broadway Show.
7 July 2020
Review:
'Hamilton' is a Broadway musical filmed for TV with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda. It tells the story of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. The show's music draws heavily from hip hop, as well as R&B, pop, soul, and traditional-style show tunes.
I've heard about the Broadway musical for years now but being located in a small town there was no way I would be able to see the show. When I heard it was coming to Disney+ I was both excited and nervous due to the fact I wasn't sure if it would be a victim of overhype. I'm am happy to be able to say this is a true masterpiece of a show that will make you want to revisit it again and again,
The show casts non-white actors as the Founding Fathers and other historical figures and it is truly brilliant. It showcases the actor's talents and makes a stand against racial stereotypes and Xenophobia. It is both amazing and heartbreaking watching these actors on the big stage. They are brilliant in the way the move and remember their lines during this three-hour long event. Stage shows and their actors are an underappreciated form of art and storytelling. Everybody in this show did a perfect job, but there was one actor who seemed to be having a blast in his role and played two completely different character perfectly, Daveed Diggs.
Aside from having an incredible story of the 'lost' Founding Father, Alexander Hamilton, the show has a brilliant soundtrack that has seamless transitions between scenes. It keeps your eyes glued to the screen and you don't want the show the end. With having super limited space and production design, they were able to showcase different parts of the world and the United States just by having different dress codes and props, and it is done with ease.
Overall, I am urging everybody to watch this amazing piece of art. If you are a fan of musicals you will love this, and if you aren't the biggest fan of musicals I truly believe that the music in this show alone will keep you engage and intrigued to what the story is telling.
5/5
Entertaining, Not as Good as What Came Before.
10 February 2020
Review:
'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' is an epic-space opera film directed by J. J. Abrams. It is the third installment of the 'Star Wars' sequel trilogy, and the final episode of the nine-part "Skywalker saga". The film follows the surviving Resistance as they face the First Order once again.
This is the most mixed 'Star Wars' movie that has been made thus far in the franchise. Critics didn't like it, and some die hard fans were not impressed by. I actually thought it was enjoyable, though slow at times.
You can tell when people blindly judge a movie, because they go into a review and talk about everything that is wrong with the film and not talk about the positives. The acting much like the other two films that came before it was good. There isn't anything special about it, but the actors did a good job keeping us engaged with likable characters. Though, I personally think Daisey Ridley is fantastic and she was great in this movie.
The movie does have some trouble with pacing, and I found myself at times looking at my watch to see how much time went by. When the movie does bring some action, it incredible. It's very well choreographed and highly entertaining. I do find the end to be a little sloppy and it seemed like they were in a hurry to end it, which is unfortunate given this is the final movie.
Overall, I won't go at far as to say it is a boring movie, because its not. It's an entertaining film, but it has some pacing issues that U feel could have been avoided. I still recommend seeing this movie if you are even just a casual 'Star Wars' fan such as myself.
3/5
The VelociPastor
(2018)
Not Good.
3 February 2020
Review:
'The VelociPastor' is a comedy-horror film directed by Brendan Steere.
I already went into this movie with low expectation, and it was even worse than I imagined. I understand there are movies out there that want to be bad purpose to be funny. This movie tries to be that type of film. But it's just bad.
The film focuses on Pastor Doug Jones (Greg Cohan) who becomes infected by a curse in China, resulting in him turning into a Velociraptor when he becomes angry. He decides to kill criminals, including drug-dealing ninjas, by using his transformation. The pastor travels the world for his self-given mission.
Now, I'm not a trained actor, but even I think I could do a better job acting then anybody in this film. A story can be bad as long as the acting is good and vice versa, but my god was this acting bad. I wouldn't be so hard on them if this was there only film, but they have multiple credits on IMDB.
Sure, the plot is crazy, but so are werewolves and there are lots of good movies based on them. It's the overall story and the execution of it that fails. They tried to tell a comedic story, but its boring. I felt actual pain while watching this. There is a scene at the end of the film were the dinosaur is fighting and it's just laughable.
Overall, I respect all filmmakers who try and make a movie. I want to be able to do that in the future as well, but when it's bad, it's bad and I will tell it like it is every time. This is bad.
.5/5
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu
(2019)
Big Surprise of the Summer.
3 February 2020
Review:
'Pokémon Detective Pikachu' is a fantasy-mystery film directed by Rob Letterman. It is based on the Pokémon franchise created by Satoshi Tajiri and serves as a loose adaptation of the video game of the same name.
I have been a Pokémon fan for many years, and I was very hesitant when the trailer first came out and especially with the stigma around video games getting movie adaptions that never work out. This movie was a nice surprise.
In a world where people collect pocket-size monsters (Pokémon) to do battle, a boy comes across an intelligent monster who seeks to be a detective.
Ryan Reynolds once again continues to deliver amazing comedy while also tugging at our heartstrings in serious moments. He is hands down the best part of this movie, while other characters didn't necessarily hit as others. Justice Smith does a good job as the human character that was needed to drive the story but isn't the character you go to see this movie for.
The movie itself has a great storyline that I won't give away, the real-life adaptions of the Pokémon are beautiful and it's almost exactly how I'd imagine them if they were in the real world, the effects are amazing! They could have gone down the hyper realistic route which would have been devastating, but they looked fantastic.
Overall, this movie hit on almost all aspects you would want it to. It stayed true to what Pokémon is, but also grew the lore enough to make a movie that stood out against all other video game-based adaptations.
4/5
Ford v Ferrari
(2019)
Brilliant.
3 February 2020
Review:
'Ford v Ferrari' is a sports-drama film directed by James Mangold.
What a film this is! I really wish I had waited to do my top ten list of 2019 until I seen this movie. My eyes were glued to the screen the whole time I was watching it.
The plot follows a determined team of American engineers and designers, led by automotive visionary Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and his British driver, Ken Miles (Christian Bale), who are dispatched by Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts) and Lee Iacocca (Jon Bernthal) with the mission of building the Ford GT40, a new racing car with the potential to finally defeat the perennially dominant Ferrari racing team at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France.
Christian Bale and Matt Damon give stellar performances here as the two leading men in the film and I totally bought their rigid friendship that slowly developed. Jon Bernthal shows that he is more than an action guy when it comes to his acting capabilities, and Josh Lucas might just be the evillest villain to come out of 2019, including Thanos himself. What a dick he is in this movie and he plays it to perfection.
James Mangold proves, once again, to be a master behind the camera. The action scenes are shot to perfection and will have you biting your nails. The race scenes have the tension they need, and Matt Damon and Christian Bale bring the humor without over doing it.
Overall, this is entertainment at its finest. There are some true story films that don't relate well to the big screen, this one will excel expectations. Great direction with a phenomenal cast is an A+.
5/5
Jojo Rabbit
(2019)
Unpopular Opinion.
3 February 2020
Review:
'Jojo Rabbit' is a comedy-drama film directed by Taika Waititi, It is based on Christine Leunens's book 'Caging Skies'.
I was excited to watch this movie once I heard it was a comedy that was nominated for Best Picture and written and directed by Taika Waititi. I was very disappointed as I was watching it and by the time it was over, I was actually upset about what I seen.
Roman Griffin Davis portrays the title character, Johannes "Jojo" Betzler, a Hitler Youth member who finds out his mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their attic. He must then question his beliefs, while dealing with the intervention of his imaginary friend, a fanciful version of Adolf Hitler (Waititi).
Starting off with the acting, it was pretty good. I'm glad Scarlett Johansson got an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress; she was really good in the film. There is a lot of talk about how good Roman Griffin Davis was in film, but I didn't really find he was that great. Sure, he did a good job keeping up with the adult actors, but it wasn't anything special. I especially liked Sam Rockwell as the general who was training the kids to be Nozi soldiers.
It may just be the fact that this movie just wasn't for me, and that may well be the case given the great reviews it was been getting. I didn't laugh during the film and I found the overall story to be a little confusing. I know Taika Waititi is a director who like to do things out of the ordinary and I respect that type of film making a lot. This one just didn't hit me the way I was expecting.
Overall, it may just be the fact that I personally didn't like the film. If you like movies that take a heart-breaking situation and puts an outrageous spin on it, check this one out for sure. I can't see myself revisiting it, so I can't personally recommend it.
2/5
Parasite
(2019)
Modern Classic.
3 February 2020
Review:
'Parasite' is a black comedy-thriller film directed by Bong Joon-ho.
I personally love foreign films, especial horror and thriller films from South Korea. I have loved every movie I have seen thus far of director Bong Joon Ho's and this is no different.
The film follows the members of a poor household scheming to become employees of a much wealthier family by posing as unrelated, highly qualified individuals.
The actors in this movie bring their A-game and showcase all different levels on the screen. There are all able to showcase their comedic side as well as darker capabilities when needed. This is the rare occasion when there are no standouts because there are on the same level. Just brilliant performances all around.
The story is so original and tightly executed. It may get a little confusing because things tend to happen quickly, and information can get lost. It is beautiful shot, this its camera angles and wide shots inside the house. It showcases different class types in society perfectly and how some rich look down on the poor and it gets under your skin.
Overall, the movie is great for those who don't mind subtitles. However, if you do mind subtitles or have not tried foreign film, I promise you that you're missing out on a whole other world of cinema. I was going to give this movie 4.5 stars because I didn't just want to jump on the bandwagon with people loving this movie, but it deserves more than that. It is an absolutely flawless film.
5/5
1917
(2019)
Beautiful Film.
3 February 2020
Review:
'1917' is an epic-war film directed by Sam Mendes. It is based in part on an account told to Sam Mendes by his paternal grandfather, Alfred Mendes.
What a beautiful film! It's a stunning watch from start to finish. The amount of work that went into this film alone deserves your attendance, and even then, the story never stalls, and has a fair balance between war and humanity, and has some of the most incredible camera work I've seen in a while.
The film chronicles the story of two young British soldiers (Dean-Charles Chapman and George MacKay) during World War I who are given a mission to call off an attack doomed to fail soon after the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line during Operation Alberich in 1917.
Without trying to sound like an ass, because the source material for this film is so powerful, but the performances from the two leads were mediocre. They make you care about their characters which is important, but they don't really embrace them. We get small parts from Colin Firth, Mark Strong and Benedict Cumberbatch who all bring amazing performances in the little screen time they get.
This is a gorgeous film and it's not just due to the fact that it has amazing editing to look like a single shot, but the cinematography is stunning. There was no slow part in the movie and the audience is enthralled with the journey from the first minute of the film.
Overall, it's easy to see why this film was nominated for Best Picture along with others. It's an incredible film that should be seen by everybody.
5/5
The Red Sea Diving Resort
(2019)
Argo did it better.
3 February 2020
Review:
'The Red Sea Diving Resort' is a spy-thriller film directed by Gideon Raff. It is loosely based on the events of Operation Moses and Operation Joshua in 1984-1985, in which the Mossad covertly evacuated Jewish Ethiopian refugees to Israel.
What a disappointment this film was. I don't mean that as in it's bad, because the movie is a good watch. But there is nothing original about the movie and it has 'Argo' written all over it.
The film stars Chris Evans as an Israeli Mossad agent who runs a covert operation that helps Ethiopian-Jewish refugees escape to safe haven in Israel.
Nothing overly impressive acting wise. Everybody does there best and it's good enough to push the story forward. Chris Evans has a darker side to him in this one then we are used to seeing him. He is still the protagonist, but there is a side to him where he will get what he wants no matter he cost.
Now, the reason I say this movie is like 'Argo' is because the stories are so similar. I believe this movie should have been made and the story is worth telling. There are just other ways aside from the spy-thriller take that could have been. The story should have been told from the eyes of Michael Kenneth Williams character. It would have brought something new to the movie aside from being a B-grade 'Argo' film.
Overall, it is a movie you should watch if you like incredible true story films. But, if I wanted to watch a movie based on entertainment alone, there are other films like this that are better.
3/5
Toy Story 4
(2019)
Another Great Addition.
3 February 2020
Review:
'Toy Story 4' is a computer-animated comedy film directed by Josh Cooley. It is the fourth installment in Pixar's 'Toy Story' series.
Yet another great addition into 'Toy Story' franchise. They knew they had to change things up if they wanted to make another movie, and they pulled it off brilliantly.
Woody (Tom Hanks) has always been confident about his place in the world and that his priority is taking care of his kid, whether that's Andy or Bonnie. But when Bonnie adds a reluctant new toy called Forky (Tony Hale) to her room, a road trip adventure alongside old and new friends will show Woody how big the world can be for a toy.
The voice acting was on par with the previous film, with most of the original cast coming back. Tony Hale was fantastic as Forky too. He brought a new life to the film and his character truly fit in to the new world of toys.
Kids today build their own toys in school or at home via craft making so I bought into this story right away. You can not go into this movie expecting it to have the same feeling as the first three films. It's a completely different feeling and tells a totally different story. I see a lot of complaints about that fact, but while it may be different, it is in no way a bad film.
Overall, the movie has lots of heart and quite a few laughs. The voice acting really brings these characters to life and doesn't feel like actors portraying them as much as it feels like they are alive on screen.
4.5/5
Another Great Addition.
3 February 2020
Review:
'How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World' is an action-fantasy film directed by Dean DeBlois. It is the third installment in the 'How to Train Your Dragon' series and is loosely based on the book series of the same name by Cressida Cowell.
This movie, in my opinion, is one of the best animated movies, ever; not just because of the success the series had, but I was very impressed with the development of the characters.
The film's plot follows Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) seeking a dragon utopia called "The Hidden World" while coming to terms with Toothless' new bond with a female Light Fury.
Much like the first two film before it, everybody plays their characters well. They are gown up and while their voices haven't changed, the way they talk have and it's very well done. F. Murray Abraham was added to the main cast as this story's villain and he was a great addition. He wasn't as big or seemed like as big of a threat as Drago Bludvist (Djimon Hounsou) from the second film but was smart and menacing.
The animation is the best in the trilogy. The hidden world is so colorful and vibrant it really makes your eyes glued to the screen. The plot is great and works perfectly as a third chapter for this trilogy. The characters have some of the most outstanding growths. Getting to watch these characters grow from children to adults has been one of the most realistic experiences I've ever seen put to film.
Overall, this was a great conclusion to a beautiful and visually stunning triology.
4.5/5
Little Women
(2019)
Enjoyable Period Piece.
3 February 2020
Review:
'Little Women' is a coming-of-age period-drama film directed by Greta Gerwig. It is the seventh film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Louisa May Alcott.
When this film first started, I was concerned that I wasn't going to like the storyline take that Greta Gerwig was doing with it. The editing really prompts the audience to pay more attention to the detail in order to get the most out of the story, though it was a little confusing at first. However, by the end of the film, I found myself having a great time and was very engaged with the characters and story.
The film follows four sisters (Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh and Eliza Scanlen) come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War.
Strong performances all around. I don't understand why Laura Dern was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for 'Marriage Story' and not this film. She was way better in this movie and had way more screen time. The three lead girls are all great and play their characters perfectly. Saoirse Ronan takes the reigns at the films lead, but my personal favorite is Florence Pugh as Amy. She was fantastic playing this character at all ages, showing different levels of maturity and really nailing it. I hope she wins Best Supporting Actress - based on who is nominated I really think she deserves it most. Emma Watson, Timothée Chalamet and Eliza Scanlen were great as always as well.
The reason I mentioned the editing before is because the movie is told in a sequence of flashbacks, but it gets a little confusing at times differentiating between flashbacks and modern day. That's where strong acting needed to come into play, as the girls acted like younger, less mature versions of their characters. It's not a fault of the movie, I just think it's more of a reason to watch the movie again.
Overall, the story was engaging, the acting was great, and it does have a re-watchability factor, which is a big surprise due to it being a period-drama.
4/5
Bad Boys for Life
(2020)
So Happy!
3 February 2020
Review:
'Bad Boys for Life' is an action-comedy film directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. It is the third installment in the 'Bad Boys' franchise. The film follows detectives Mike Lowrey (Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Lawrence) reuniting once again when someone starts murdering people involved in an old case.
I enjoy a lot with the 'Bad Boys' movies. They're not well loved by critics, but audience viewers seem to enjoy them, and I was excited to see this one. It's not like the first two films at all and seems to settle down and take itself more seriously and I loved it even more for it.
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence don't skip a beat coming back to these characters after over 15 years on hiatus. The embodied the characters perfectly, yet still mange to show character growth from when we last seen them in 'Bad Boys II'. I was unsure going into it with the younger police officers played by Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig and Charles Melton, but it brought something that I think was needed to the story, and all three did a great job as well.
This is my favorite film in the franchise and it's mainly because it had the most focused story. From beginning to end it knows what it wants to be, and it doesn't get jumbled in between genres as I find the other films to do. It's comedy lands when it needs to, and the action sequences are fantastic.
Overall, I know we are still in the beginning of 2020, but this film has a real chance of making my to ten favorite films of year. It's a giant adrenaline rush with lots of laughs, and some unexpected twists along the way.
5/5
Dolittle
(2020)
Only Directed Towards Kids.
19 January 2020
Review:
'Dolittle' is a fantasy-adventure film directed by Stephen Gaghan. It is based on the titular character created by Hugh Lofting, and primarily inspired by 'The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle'.
The whole time I was watching this movie I was thinking, "where is Johnny Depp?". He usually likes these weird takes on well-known stories. That being said, I do have to say he dodged a bullet because I find this movie to be a bit of a mess.
This movie is based in England where we find Dr. John Dolittle (played by Robert Downey Jr.) whom is a famed doctor and veterinarian. After losing his wife several years ago and locking himself away from the world, he is drawn back out again when he is called to help the Queen. He sets sail to a mythical island where he discovers wondrous creatures and reunites with old friends along the way. The premise of the movie seemed lackluster from the get-go which unfortunately seemed to let the movie down and not live up to the fame of the Dolittle name.
I don't know exactly what Robert Downey Jr. was thinking when he decided to take this movie on. He was fresh off 'Avengers: Endgame' and probably had his pick of the litter movie-wise and decided on this? He didn't seem to care about the project - he is a great actor but didn't seem to give this movie any of his heart, just doing this project for a paycheque when he didn't have to. He also gives one of the worst accents I've ever heard in a movie. Accents are a big thing for me and if an actor can't pull it off throughout the entire film it throws me off. While Downey Jr didn't hit the mark for me, this film does have an all-star cast of voice actors, who do a good job portraying their animal counterparts. They were really the star of this film.
The movie is definitely directed towards young children when it comes to the comedy. There are no jokes for adults, yet when we get to the end of the movie there is a scene that might be a little intense for really young viewers. I don't think this movie knew what it wanted to be, or it just got made quickly and was dumped in January without a care. Because of the sloppy writing and crazy performance by Robert Downey Jr., I unfortunately checked out of this movie within the first 20 minutes.
Overall, I wholeheartedly believe that young viewers will like this movie. It has cute animals and child-directed humor, but it doesn't have anything for the adults to enjoy. If you want to scoop your kids up and head to a viewing of this film, I believe they will have a blast. It just wasn't a film for me.
2/5
The Fanatic
(2019)
Horrid Film.
19 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Review:
'The Fanatic' is a psychological thriller directed and co-written by Fred Durst.
STOP! Please, before reading this review, first go and search up the director into Google. Then write in the comment section your reaction to what you've just learned. Now that that is over with, we can talk about my feelings about this film. I just watched this today and had to talk about, because I loved this movie. It's so bad, you can't help but enjoy yourself watching it. You don't take anything that is being said or done seriously, and you just have to laugh with yourself. I really feel like I'm going to bash this movie, because it's not a good film at all. However, I really want to convince anyone I can to see this movie!
The film is about a guy named Moose - played by John Travolta - who is a self proclaimed superfan of this actor named Hunter Dunbar - played by Devo Sawa. At a signing event, Moose waits in line close to an hour to get an autograph from his idol. When Moose finally gets to the front of the line, the actor is pulled away for some reason and Moose doesn't even get to meet him. So, he does the only logical thing he can think of and downloads the 'StarMap' app on his cell phone so he can track down his idol and get his autograph. For some reason this doesn't make Hunter Dunbar very happy and he starts to yell at Moose as well as get physical. Things escalate quickly and Moose leaves and later decides to get revenge.
Okay, now listen to this. I don't know what was going on with any of these actors! I do have to say Devon Sawa seemed like he was really trying and a lot of scenes he was in he is believable in them. I actually felt bad for him, not his character and what he goes through, Devon Sawa as an actor, I felt bad for him being in this movie. I mean, my god John Travolta! Maybe it's not his fault and it's just because I'm not used to him being in this type of role. I have no idea what he is doing. I understand he is trying to play this guy with a mental disability of some kind, but the movie never discusses it or brings anything up. You just know that something is off, and it gets annoying that it's never explained.
There is nothing in this movie I would I say I liked. They're things in this movie I found funny, but that were definitely not supposed to be comedic. There is a scene when Moose is at Hunter's house in the garden and he gets caught by the maid. She is scared obviously and starts hitting him with a feather duster, and he is yelling in pain! I mean, I don't know how much a feather duster would hurt, but my guess is not at all. He eventually gets so upset he hit her in the face, she falls backwards and hit her head and dies. Moose stands in front of her and freaks out a bit, asking if she is okay and says "oh, that's a bad nosebleed. I had a nosebleed once, wasn't good." Then as I was laughing out loud at this scene, his character immediately gets distracted by some wind chimes and goes inside the house leaving the maid in the garden. The ending of this movie is so messed up, I actually was laughing through it too. Moose ties up Hunter at his house, in his own bed. He first pretends to kill himself in front of Hunter, then pretends to kill Hunter, laughing as he is doing it. The scene is supposed to be uncomfortable, but just felt very humorous. Hunter actually convinces Moose to untie him, and the two have a 'nice' chat. He knows Moose would not hurt him; he was just angry about not getting an autograph. However, once untied Hunter than head butts him, shoots his fingers off with a shotgun he has on his bed stand for some reason, kicks him down the stairs, shoots two shots on each side of his head and stabs him in the eye with a hunter knife. WHAT THE!?! That whole scene takes place in about 3 minutes, and 2 seconds after Hunter angerly stabs him he then walks him gently out the front door! I mean, come on!
There is so much more to say, but I can't. It would be going on forever. The last thing I will say is advice to the director, Fred Durst. Get your head out of your own ass and don't shove your music onto us! There is a scene in this movie where Devon Sawa's character is driving around his son preaching about how much he loves Limp Bizkit while the music blares in the car. How much more on the nose can you get?
Overall, everybody needs to see this movie at east once. It gives 'The Room' by Tommy Wiseau a run for its money for the best worst movie ever made.
1.5/5
Corpse Bride
(2005)
Tim Burton's Better Film.
19 January 2020
Review:
'Corpse Bride' is a dark-fantasy film directed by Mike Johnson and Tim Burton.
I've seen parts of this movie multiple times but have never fully watched it through until now. If I am being honest, I'm not the biggest Tim Burton fan and I can't really put my finger on why that is. His movies seem to be the same dark concept with different stories. Let's look at some movies that his name is under. We have 'Corpse Bride', 'Frankenweenie', and 'A Nightmare Before Christmas' and these are just his stop motion films. None have any gripping elements to bring viewers in to start watching it let alone continue through the runtime. However, out of all the Tim Burton stories "Corpse Bride" is one that I could see myself viewing again.
We start the movie out being introduced to Victor (Johnny Depp) and his odd mother and father. We learn that he is to be married to the daughter of a thought to be known wealthy family's daughter; Victoria (Emily Watson). When the rehearsal for the wedding goes awry, Victor sets off to the woods to practice his vows before the big day, only to become married to an undead bride when he places his ring on the corpse's finger, thinking it was a branch. Now, locked into the commitment of marriage to a dead woman named Emily (Helena Bonham Carter) and trapped in the land of the undead, Victor must find away out of the marriage and look for a way back to the land of the living.
A big positive for this movie is the voice acting. It may not seem like a big deal, but having the wrong voice come out of a certain character could throw off the whole film and everybody in this movie did a fantastic job bringing their characters to life. Although, Helena Bonham Carter does such a great job giving her character personality you almost want Victor to end up with her at the end of the movie when I don't think that's the intention of Tim Burton.
I was also a fan of the musical choices in this movie. I thought it brought a much-needed energy to the overall story and was executed fully. The one thing that spoke most to me and what I thought was a brilliant concept was that fact that when the movie is in the land of the living it is very dark, and everybody looks miserable. When the movie is taking down in the land of the dead it is colorful, and everybody looks happy. Now, I don't believe that the movie is saying if you want to be happy be dead. It's just telling a realistic view on life, not everybody is happy, and maybe the dead are happy, and we shouldn't feel so scared about death when it comes.
Overall, this is classic Tim Burton and if you're a fan of his you will love this movie. It has a dark sense of humor and tell a story of death, love, and sacrifice.
3/5
The Two Popes
(2019)
Beautiful Film.
15 January 2020
Review:
'The Two Popes' is a biographical-drama film directed by Fernando Meirelles.
I'm not a religious person, so I did go into this movie with low expectations, and not thinking it was going to be anything I would be interested in. While the film is a slow-paced comedic drama, the story being told is so much more than two religious man settling their differences.
It stars Anthony Hopkins as Pope Benedict XVI and Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio (later Pope Francis).
The movie really has two actors at the base of the story, Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce. These two actors are brilliant in transforming into these characters. The casting in itself was perfect, I tried to see if I could watch this movie if the roles were reversed, and I don't think it would be the same movie. The way these two amazing performers brought these characters to life was just magical.
Aside from the amazing acting, there are two things this film has that really puts it at the top. The directing and writing. You would think that those are what you would expect in a good film, and you would be correct. Though this movie really brings it up a notch because it knows it must rely on dialogue to farther the storytelling alone. As for the direction on the film, it's beautiful. From the very beginning of the movie until we see the end credit rolling, you are watching a piece of art.
Overall, this is a movie about two old guys, that believe in something I don't. The whole thing is the two of them waking and talking. No action, no explosions, no cursing. All the things I like in a movie and yet, I loved it. The only reason I'm not giving it a higher score is because it doesn't have much re-watchability, but I do recommend it.
4.5/5
Richard Jewell
(2019)
Amazing Film.
11 January 2020
Review:
'Richard Jewell' is a biographical-drama film directed by Clint Eastwood. It is based on the 1997 Vanity Fair article 'American Nightmare: The Ballad of Richard Jewell' by Marie Brenner, and the 2019 book 'The Suspect: An Olympic Bombing, the FBI, the Media, and Richard Jewell, the Man Caught in the Middle' by Kent Alexander and Kevin Salwen.
I can't believe this movie is based on a true story. I really enjoyed this movie, and am now hoping for a possible Oscar nomination, at least for Best Director.
The film depicts the July 27 Centennial Olympic Park bombing and its aftermath, as security guard Richard Jewell (Paul Walter Hauser) finds a bomb during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, and alerts authorities to evacuate, only to later be wrongly accused of having placed the device himself.
The casting in this movie was top notch. Paul Walter Hauser was amazing as the title character playing him perfectly from the way he walks to the way he talks. Olivia Wilde plays a parasite of a reporter who was just looking for her next story, and not caring what happens this this man's life. Aside from the lead himself my two favorite characters were played by Kathy Bates and Sam Rockwell. They characters were nothing but likable and you want them on screen all the time.
Clint Eastwood has one of the greatest portfolios of smart, intelligent, interesting and well acted films. Sure, there are bigger known directors who make more exciting films, but Eastwood makes great dramas. The fact that this is a true story is crazy, sad and very anger inducing. It's great.
Overall, I think this is a movie everybody should watch at least once in their life. It will give you a new view on right and wrong as well as make you confused on how some people can be so good or bad.
4.5/5
John Wick: Chapter 2
(2017)
Good Sequel.
5 January 2020
Review:
'John Wick: Chapter 2' is a neo-noir action film directed by Chad Stahelski. It is the second installment in the 'John Wick' film series.
A film with more headshots than words spoken, John Wick: Chapter 2 is just about the most violent film I've seen in quite some time. But it knows exactly what it wants to do and succeeds immensely.
The plot follows hitman John Wick (Keanu Reeves), who goes on the run after a bounty is placed on him.
Keanu Reeves isn't the best of actors working today, and I don't think he would disagree with that statement. But he's without a doubt one of the most committed actors out there. There's no more than a few pages of total spoken dialogue throughout the movie, and Reeves has probably a maximum of 30 lines, all of which aren't necessarily delivered as well as they should be. But it doesn't ultimately matter. He still does what he sets out to do.
It was bloodier, more fighting, more assassins and longer run time. What I can say is this is an even better version than the original movie. Although in term of story, there is a bit of a more complexity in the sequel as opposed to the simplicity of the original movie.
Overall, this movie didn't have a good of a story as the first film. However, the action sequences were breathtaking and very well choreographed.
3.5/5
Men in Black: International
(2019)
Kill This Franchise.
5 January 2020
Review:
'Men in Black: International' is a science fiction-action-comedy film directed by F. Gary Gray. It is a spin-off of the 'Men in Black' film series, which is loosely based on the Malibu/Marvel comic book series of the same name by Lowell Cunningham.
A 'Men in Black' movie with a big cast and F. Gary Gray is the director. What could possibly go wrong? Apparently, everything, because this film is bad.
The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest threat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organization.
Straight out of 'Thor: Ragnarok' Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson sign up for this movie. While they might have good on-screen chemistry, that doesn't mean they can play the characters well. Nothing about them shows MIB agents, at least not what I'm used to with Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith. Liam Neeson does a good job being himself in a black uniform but isn't on screen enough to give a good judgement. Same with Emma Thompson, she was added to the cast in the third film and she was a great addition, she wasn't well utilized in this film.
I didn't care about the story being told. It was boring and very sloppy with its forced humor and CGI filled action sequences. I see a lot of reviews getting angry at the bad reviews, saying since when is 'Men in Black' supposed to be an award-winning movie? It's about being fun and having a good time in the theatre. Yes, I agree. This movie doesn't make you have a good time at all.
Overall, I can't recommend this movie to anyone, let alone 'Men in Black' fans. If you like brainless action films that try and take itself too seriously, this film may peak your interests, not mine.
1.5/5
Hatchet III
(2013)
Dead Franchise.
5 January 2020
Review:
'Hatchet III' is a slasher film directed by B. J. McDonnell. It is the third installment in the 'Hatchet' series.
This is the third film in what is known to be the most ridiculous horror franchise known. This movie unfortunately takes all the fun out of what the first two were and tried to dig into the lore of Victor Crowley.
The film surrounds a search and recovery team heads into the haunted swamp to pick up the pieces and Marybeth (Danielle Harris) learns the secret to ending the voodoo curse that has left Victor Crowley (Kane Hodder) haunting and terrorizing Honey Island Swamp for decades.
Aside from Danielle Harris who actually stay committed to the role, the rest of the cast really fall flat and you don't care about any of them.
I enjoyed the filmmaking of Adam Green from the first two movies and bringing on another director to do the third movie ruined both the fun and continuity of the continuous story. It didn't have the same feel as the others and seemed like it was taking itself too seriously.
Overall, the ending of 'Hatchet II' could make it so you've watched a cheesy but watchable duology. If you want to expand the lore and give this one a shot, it can be enjoyed to the right audience. I'm just not that audience.
2.5/5
Hatchet II
(2010)
Crazy Film.
5 January 2020
Review:
'Hatchet II' is a slasher film written and directed by Adam Green. It is the sequel to Green's film, 'Hatchet'.
This movie is just as ridiculous as the first, but dare I say more entertaining with the story it's telling.
Picking up right where the first film ended, 'Hatchet II' follows Marybeth (Danielle Harris) as she escapes the clutches of the deformed, swamp-dwelling killer Victor Crowley (Kane Hodder). After learning the truth about her family's connection to the hatchet-wielding madman, Marybeth returns to the Louisiana swamps along with an army of hunters to recover the bodies of her family and exact the bloodiest revenge against the bayou butcher.
The acting was on par with the first film; however, Marybeth has been recast and while I like Danielle Harris, I have to agree with others on saying it took basically the whole movie to figure out the character. When a character get's recast, the actor is likely not going to play them the same way and Harris' performance was different than Feldman's.
Some of the murders definitely stand out, but it's not an amazing sequel like many people are saying. I consider myself a big horror fan and it was only okay for me. If you are to watch this movie it will just be for the wackiness and not the horror element.
Overall, could have been worse, though it's not memorable like original.
2.5/5
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