godsdesign Reviews

Honey: Rise Up and Dance (2018)

6.5 to 7/10. Not as bad as the others

[7/10 · 21 June 2020]

I can't lie: I've hated the "Honey" franchise. The dancing is always basic and the storylines were never great. I guess you don't really watch Honey for that.

This movie, though, was solid. It was nice to watch people who danced and looked to enjoy it. The chemistry among the cast throughout this film was noticeably better, too. I still wish the storyline was stronger but I did enjoy it.

In the Shadow of the Moon (2019)

Solid 7.5 out of 10

[8/10 · 8 October 2019]

A quick FYI: Unless something is just horrible, I will round up when I give a half rating. That's why it has an 8 from me.

I enjoyed the movie. I can't lie and say it didn't fly over my head on the first watch. I did have to watch it a second time. That is when I went from a 6-6.5 to what you see now. I will say that it's thankfully not one of those oft-repeated storylines. I know it had to cover the premise of the movie, but it felt a little too long at times.

This movie seemed to be the type they show at festivals. It has an interesting storyline, decent budget and good cast. I wasn't expecting some Oscar-worthy showing when I watched it. But, I still like to be entertained in some way when I watch stuff (comedy, horror, suspense, thriller, etc.). This movie accomplished that.

Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019)

Really enjoyed this

[8/10 · 2 September 2019]

I don't know why some have bashed this movie or given it such a low rating. I seriously enjoyed it. I had always hoped they'd bring a live-action Pokémon to screen. The characters are multi-layered and Ryan Reynolds is hilarious as always. I gave it an 8 because I wish they had more fight scenes. But, all-in-all, I wasn't disappointed.

If you're a video game fan, someone who enjoys Pokémon, and not someone who's just looking for a reason to hate the film, then I think you'll enjoy this movie, too.

The Week Of (2018)

7.5 out of 10 so I rounded up to 8

[8/10 · 31 May 2019]

Okay. So if you're a fan of Adam Sandler, or watched even one of his movies, you know what to expect. I mean come on. But, I think this movie has gotten a bad rap.

It's definitely a movie you watch when you just want a silly comedy. I had frequent moments where I just couldn't stop laughing (i.e. "I can't die first.")

It's not meant to be perfect. What's funniest to me is that hidden in the comedy, there are actually quite a few moments that I experienced in real life, too. Life is messy. The movie is a little messy. Lol. It's not meant to be taken too seriously. So, don't. Sit back, relax, and just let yourself laugh.

Little (I) (2019)

7.5 out of 8 so I rounded up

[8/10 · 26 May 2019]

I don't know what some people are so upset about. This movie is the type where if you loved the trailer and are a fan of Issa Raye's self-deprecating humor, you'll love this, too. It's not "Big" or "13 Going on 30". It's "Little" and it's executive produced by a child. It just good humor that let's you laugh at the ridiculous and the inevitable.

I thought it was aimed at a more teen audience with some jokes adults watching would understand, too. I'm a 30+ y/o woman and I watched it with my 19 y/o niece. We laughed the whole time.

Don't listen to the naysayers and professional critics. If you watched the trailer and weren't really "sold" on the movie, just wait for it to come out free. But, like I said, if you enjoyed the trailer, you'll enjoy the movie.

Game of Thrones (2011–2019)

This is only related to Season 8...which has been trash

[5/10 · 20 May 2019]

Overall: the show is still a solid 8.5-9 out of 10 in my book. Season 8: 5 out of 10

The actors really did their best. The visuals were done really well. But the showrunners ignored everything set up over 7 seasons. Then they tried to justify their failings in the aftershow commentary.

I'd be fine with the way the season turned out if there hadn't been SO much foreshadowing done over the last decade. There were things that were beaten over the head to foreshadow. All for Dan and Dave to say, "nope. We're just gonna rush everything up so we can move on to something else." It was all a huge letdown and truly a disservice to the fans. I enjoyed the first couple of seasons and really got hooked in season 3. It's disappointing to have seen everything so hurried that basic character arcs were abandoned or seemingly forgotten.

The show is over. But, next time, HBO, when the showrunners of the most popular tv show of all times wants to wrap things up in a rushed fashion: please hire new people.

If you've never seen the show before, or aren't too deep into it yet, IGNORE ALL FORESHADOWING. Treat each season as it's own story. At the end of the day, it's still a great show. Just a massively disappointing conclusion.

Little (I) (2019)

Loved it

[8/10 · 11 April 2019]

Full disclosure: I am a HUGE fan of Issa Rae.

That aside, in truly enjoyed this movie. I don't care if folks say it's unoriginal or whatever. I thought it did a great job highlighting the comedic chops of the cast. This is movie was great to just lose myself laughing.

Wind River (2017)

Really good, underrated movie

[9/10 · 26 February 2019]

This movie was SO good! It's a hidden gem that showcases the strengths of Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen as actors.

It IS a drama/suspense film. Don't expect that it'll be packed full of action just because it contains 2 Avengers. I'm really glad they don't go heavy down this route. Pay attention though. Otherwise you'll have to rewind multiple times like I did to see how you missed piecing everything together. The pace of the movie makes you really appreciate the story that being laid out for you.

I wish there'd been more publicity for this movie because it definitely deserves it. If you're down for a solid drama/suspense film (sans kids), this will be great for movie night.

Peppermint (2018)

Solid Movie (Don't trust critics anymore)

[8/10 · 26 February 2019]

IMDB won't let me use 1/2 stars. Lol. So, I'll give this movie 8 out of 10 stars.

I really enjoyed this movie. While I appreciate ambiguity, I wish they'd spent a little more time on Jennifer Garner's character developing into who she became. In spite of this, Peppermint was a really enjoyable "night-in" movie. If there's a sequel, I'd watch that, too.

Polar (I) (2019)

Good "movie night" option

[8/10 · 26 January 2019]

Disclaimer: I love Mads Mikkelsen in just about anything. He could act his way out of a paper bag. He's what saved this movie for me. Vanessa Hudgens did a good job with her character's arc, too.

What I hated the most about this movie was the editing. You can pretty much feel out the plot after 30 minutes in. The way the movie was put together left much to be desired.

Ignore the critical reviews. I feel like this movie did well as a "movie night" option.

Robin Hood (2018)

Stop listening to people who want a carbon copy of originals

[8/10 · 7 December 2018]

All the folks complaining are a little suspect with their motives. I really liked the movie. I loved the action sequences. The archery shots were really cool. CGI missed me in some places. For the the most part, I'm tired of watching reboots that mirror the originals. This is a reboot on the classic Robin Hood. If you're not one of those people who needs a story to mirror itself again and again, give this movie a shot. It's not perfect but it is entertaining and I really liked it.

The Darkest Minds (2018)

I don't know why folks don't like it

[8/10 · 5 November 2018]

I don't trust the reviews of professional film critics anymore. They're all so out of touch, I don't care what they rate/review at this point.

I really liked the movie. The two leads had good chemistry by themselves. The four friends flow well together, too. The movie worked well with the source material (books). I do think, however, that it could've been better if helmed by a director who wasn't making this her first live-action debut. The ending falls short because it's clear she was leaving it open & setting up for a sequel. But, as someone who's read the books, I enjoyed it.

I give this a 7.5 out of 10 because of the ending falling off. (I just rounded up to an 8)

MacGyver (2016–2021)

Love this show

[8/10 · 16 October 2018]

I don't understand the complaints on this show. I grew up watching the original one. This one does a good job in it's own way. A reboot isn't supposed to be an exact replica. One of the main reasons I like this show is because it follows the same format as the original one but updated for 2018...not 1987: funny moments, still drama focused, well-rounded supporting cast, stuff blowing up and Macgyver inventions.

Watch this reboot from the beginning with an open mind and without comparing it to the original. Give it a chance and you'll see that it's actually a really good show.

Baltimore Rising (2017)

If you hate anything associated with "Black Lives Matter" or "Liberal," don't bother

[9/10 · 5 September 2018]

This documentary is based on the events that happened in Baltimore following the death of Freddie Gray.

Please skip this movie if you are someone who just wants to give it a bad rating without watching it or use it to inflame biases further. I liked it because it provided insight on what factored in to the responses of many residents after the death of Freddie Gray.

It's easy for people to overlook the catalyst that Freddie Gray's death was to recipe for disaster that had been mixing for some time. This documentary isn't a "woah is me" tale; it also doesn't try to "explain away" anything bad by some protestors. It does, however, provide some valuable insight to the mindset of those who observed, participated in, or were motivated to activism by Baltimore. The uprising in Baltimore was something that America had been on the precipice of for a while. Even if you watch this documentary with preconceived notions about minority "rioting", Freddie Gray's death or why the youth of Baltimore eventually responded the way that they did, consider keeping an open mind.

There's nothing wrong with seeing things from a different point of view or gaining a more well rounded understanding of an incident. I think this documentary helps with that.

Insatiable (2018–2019)

Don't trust critics!!

[9/10 · 25 August 2018]

I won't lie: I initially thought it would be horrible or just another show with the same plot of big girl becomes thin girl and now is b**chy girl.

After the first episode, I was interested. By the second episode, I liked it. Then by the 3rd episode I was invested. I found myself trying to guess episode plots, intrigued by the moving storylines, rewinding to see what I missed, "picking sides", etc. I laughed, got upset for characters, cursed at the screen, etc. This show really kept me engaged.

There have been a lot of movies and shows that have come out in recent years that left me feeling as though the critics had gotten it wrong. This show is definitely one of them.

A Day Late and a Dollar Short (2014 TV Movie)

Beautiful Movie

[9/10 · 9 November 2015]

I absolutely loved this movie. I stumbled on it on Lifetime today & could not bring myself to turn the channel to anything else. The casting of each actress and actor was clearly carefully considered because it was definitely on point. Whoopi Goldberg showed that she can still bring a cast together as the main character. This isn't your typical "Lifetime fluff movie" with no strong acting & flip-floppy characters. It's also not like the majority of African American movies out today that so closed mimic Tyler Perry's creations. And although I love Tyler Perry, it was good to watch something outside of the "new norm" for these types of movies. It still has a "feel good" overall theme, primarily achieved through the ending. But, it is based on a novel written in 2001 by the phenomenal Terry McMillan. I, for one, was happy to see it come alive in a movie that flowed so closely with the book's original theme. If you choose to watch this movie (which you absolutely should), all I will say is to pay attention to each character throughout it & then stick around to watch the ending. Have you seen the 90s movie "Soulfood"? If so, that's how you will feel at this end of this one. Loved it!