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Abominable (2019)
Heartwarming, great 3d, but lacks depth
The 3D was great in this, definitely go 3d if watching in theaters. Love the characters, visuals, and sound design. Quite a bit of sentimental moments I think will suit all ages. Simple plot with a couple contrived moments. I think they could've done more dialogue/bonding moments in their long journey.
Joker (2019)
Woooow
Never would I had thought I'd sympathize and even feel sorry for the man that would become the joker. Heartbreaking, unsettling, disturbing, pity, remorse. I felt all that throughout the film as I kept rooting for Arthur to find happiness even if I knew the end result. You don't need to be a batman or comic fan to appreciate this movie.
And forget the media for focusing so much on how this "glorifies" violence. It wasn't even that violent. There are bigger issues it raises like rich vs poor, mental/physical abuse, and of course, mental illness. I left thinking on all those, in fact feeling more sympathetic for those like Arthur. And I'm sure there are ppl out there struggling like him, even without the mental baggage. The media should be praising this film.
Ad Astra (2019)
Daddy Issues in space
Don't expect Interstellar-lite like I did. It's more about Pitt following his dad's career path as an astronaut at the cost of a healthy, normal life, having difficulty forming relations because of his dad abandoning them for his grand mission. Behind the good acting and fancy cinematography (almost painfully trying too hard) is full of issues:
-Pitt's fate: guess being a murderer like his dad will be brushed off and he'll pay more attention to his wife?
-Earth's and the moon's conflicts over resources will continue on I guess. Weird, since the settings on Earth seem pretty much like a modern day first world place. And what's with the pirates on the moon? Makes no sense what they were going for. They carried no gear/supplies. Hostages? Not when they were shooting and killing them.
-Top secret flight to Mars of such importance in a commercial ship that stops for a random SOS, which was taken over by monkeys. Ok.
-Top secret flight of even greater importance to Neptune to stop the Ima Project that would destabilize the earth and other planets entrusted to 3-4 crew with 1 gun on board.
-Lady who helped Pitt board the rocket could've simply let the existing crew go up and end the Lima Project. Instead she helped him take over the ship where he killed the crew. Wouldn't she know the crew will KILL him once he boards? Whatever, she's now his accomplice.
-There's no sense of awe and isolation of space. You just keep watching Pitt deal with his emotions on his way to his dad, like riding in a bus but not looking out the window in a new place.
-It took over 10 yrs for a Rover to reach Neptune in real life. The movie seems like they made the trip in a few months at most.
It Chapter Two (2019)
A horror movie with a good story and characters?
Perfect casting, and follows nicely after the first movie. Same creepy atmosphere as the first and the characters are just as charming. The long runtime I think is needed to show each character's side plot that unites them together. The "true form" and final resolution may not satisfy all viewers, but worked well enough for me. There's some comedy mixed in with the tension which some don't like. And for those complaining the first scene was unnecessary, it's from the book and marks the return of It.
Ne Zha zhi mo tong jiang shi (2019)
Complete 180...
...from my initial impressions. Thought it would be a bomb knowing nothing about the film judging by the trailer and poster, only interested in the mythology of Ne Zha. And damn, it was entertaining, fast paced full of slapstick humor and action, although the first few minutes had some slight cringe you might expect from a Chinese animation, but that quickly goes away.
The visuals and 3d were spectacular. I'd say on the level of Dreamworks, somewhat near Pixar at times, although there were moments especially the dragons that were pretty bad, and 1 or 2 scenes that made my eyes spasm a bit from weird 3d movement. I first thought the initial character designs were like some weird Naruto-esk spinoff with the child NeZha looking a bit ugly, plus tropey action scenes. But it's one of those cases where watching it is much better than the lower quality trailers I came across, and none of the action was corny with emo characters trying too hard to act cool.
The subtitles can pass by VERY fast and/or get lost against the background, so get ready to read fast. I'm left with some questions on the origin story which deviates a little from what I read, but there's enough to stay true to the mythos. There are even some moving, touching scenes with NeZha and his parents. Can't wait for the sequel which multiple end credits scenes point to.
Good Boys (2019)
Great modern comedy
Didn't expect much but walked away entertained the whole way. The kids were great, and reminds me of how dorky some of us were. Some of the dialogue and jokes seemed more mature than might be realistic, but easy to overlook it. The two teenagers are great additions to bridge the story with drugs. The movie even had some themes of friendships and moving on in life. Really a movie for all ages...almost.
Angel Has Fallen (2019)
Meh
Politics aside, nothing special. Didn't care for the characters, predictable plot, scenarios that make no sense if you start thinking, ok action, and the first movie with enough shaky cam in a sequence where I had no idea what was going on.
Ready or Not (2019)
Wanna play Hide n Seek?
Want a fun thriller inside a mansion on lockdown full of eccentric family members looking to find and kill a bride? Then watch this. I just wish there were more build-up scenes of her sneaking around and the ending was kind of wacky.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)
Pretty good adaptation.
The movie has an interesting over-arching storyline (itself a spin off of "haunted house") that ties the other stories together, and adds it's own original zombie monster into the mix. The visuals are exactly how I would imagine them to be from the books and the atmosphere and tension are well done. The characters are quirky teens and do a decent job.
This is based on childrens books well known and loved for spooky illustrations with simple short stories a couple pages long, which adults might find only slightly unnerving, so don't know what people are expecting saying it's not scary enough - were they expecting something like Paranormal Activity or The Conjuring?
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)
Just as the trailer advertised
Fast-paced action, explosions, manic driving sequences, cyborg-enhanced villain, crude but amusing humor, an entertaining duo...trio, bulging muscles, cute lady...what else do you need for a popcorn flick? My d*** is still throbbing from the testosterone surging from the movie.
Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood (2019)
The Leonardo and Bradd show...
Aside from Rick and Cliff, a bunch of side plots and scenes that barely go anywhere. For such a long movie, there still wasn't enough of Rick and Cliff particularly their last night getting drunk. The ending saved the film. Good acting and set design isn't enough for a good movie. Without Tarantino's name and the underlying Mansons' backstory, I bet this would be rated much lower. I'd rather just watch a 2.5 hr documentary on the Mansons...
The Lion King (2019)
Imperfect remake, but still liked it...
It seems you'll either love it, or hate it like most I've heard/read. If you're mildly interested in seeing the cartoon brought to life, then I suggest you try it. If you've never seen the cartoon (why the hell?) then even better since you won't be constantly comparing it.
Watched it twice and went home and compared some of the songs - both are great, same amount of energy and vibe. Some different voices, but still sound very similar. CGI is life-like, and I actually like Timon's look much more here.
What bothered me most is some animations from the original are missing here that added much more character - Simba trying to wake his dad by biting his ear (like how they played), Simba roughing up Zazu before singing Can't Wait to be King where Zazu doesn't get hilariously bullied as much, Timon/Pumba not breaking into tears after the love song, Simba not pushing Nala in the pond, etc. But I'm not gonna give this a <5 for "ruining" the original or because I didn't like a song or this remake wasn't "needed" like so many reviews I read.
Stuber (2019)
Not so bad, screw the haters...
Don't know how the most helpful votes are rated 2's and 3's - if this is one of the worst movies they've seen, they have not seen many movies! If you're just a fan of B movie comedies, give this a try on discount Tue, or rental at least. The two main actors are quirky fun even if the action isn't all great with quite a bit of shaky cam. If you're not a fan of the two main actors, then yea maybe skip it since it's all about their awkward exchanges. And the ending was surprisingly heartwarming and pleasant.
Midsommar (2019)
Bizarre
Didn't care it was slow most of the time like ppl say. I was interested in the characters and how they all ended up going to this weird village. The pacing slowly but smoothly leads up to the strange, bizarre traditions of the village and what happens to each American. Almost every scene after reaching that place is unsettling in a good way. I want to know more and what they'll do to these clueless visitors. I spoiled a big part of the ceremony's purpose for myself but still found it fascinating. The camera angles, lighting, and music was great.
Child's Play (2019)
Glad I checked it out.
Doll was creepy and the whole cloud-computing thing is believable and adds a layer to the thrill. I liked a lot of the characters, surprisingly. Has enough gore and violence, and was enjoyable. Very little contrived moments which really irks me. Whole theater was engaged with lots of amusing/funny moments, with a few disturbing ones.
Crawl (2019)
Was alright...
Slow start, some questionable decisions, still somewhat thrilling and entertaining with good acting. If you're already used to watching animal violence on the Discovery channel or whatever, the "gory" scenes won't affect you as much - the spider scene was more memorable than the gators for me, shrug. And how did they survive with so much blood loss...IN DIRTY WATER. Whatever, just go along with it.
Toy Story 4 (2019)
A sequel I didn't think I wanted
Enjoyed it as much as previous Toy Stories. This time, there isn't really much of an antagonist, and some people are criticizing its lack of story or character development. Well, to me, it's really about Woody and his feelings of falling into nothingness. For real, this time, not like before just out of jealousy when Buzz was the new hot thing or when Andy grew up and transitioning owners with everyone else.
Why care about some random trash toy like Forky, ppl have asked. Because you care about Woody, that's why. He says straightly that keeping him safe is the only thing he can do - you can associate that with depression, midlife crisis, old age, and a bunch of other life issues while not being so apparent to kids. A man's trash is another man's treasure, your dream not coming true but things can still work out, and still more.
Bo's reintroduction is great, and serves as imo the second main character in the movie. Without spoilers, she and Woody have a touching end if you focus on Woody's character and not huff about other characters getting enough screentime. I liked Gabby and Duke Caboom as well. The two birds ranged from slightly annoying to amusing.
It might be crazy, but I can see another sequel to this easily.
Anna (2019)
Fun but beware the time jumps...
Entertaining story but tons of time jumps to the point there were chuckles in the second half when another black screen "x months/years earlier" popped up. I got the feeling it's trying to be smart but overdid those plot twists. But the scenes still flowed and you can follow the story for the most part.
Don't expect non-stop action or tense build-up/planning for each action sequence. It's no James Bond or John Wick, but still entertaining. The long fight in the restaurant shown in the trailers is the best fight, one of two major action scenes. There were a few comedic scenes where the movie doesn't take itself too seriously.
I didn't care too much about the characters including Anna. She's always shown to be brooding, serious, and just wanting to a peaceful life while being a cold killer doing jobs for what she's promised. I empathized with her especially her abusive past relationship but can't say she's the most interesting.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
A spectacle...when the monsters stay on screen...
Great visuals, sound, and cinematography, with a little too much camera shake and close-ups for my taste. Could've been a 9/10 if it weren't for the constant cut-away's from the monsters to the humans who I barely cared about aside from Watanabe's character, to the point of frustration. It will show X monster throw a punch or bite against Y only for the camera to pull to some humans on the ground running and screaming. Repeat every 5-10 seconds. As cool as the monster fights were, they were so disjointed and interrupted.
There was some semblance of a story, and I was interested in the background info of all the titans awakening, the "alien" muto, the underwater civilization, and how humans are just insects to these monsters to be their pets. I just didn't care for the human characters no matter how often the camera cuts to them. If you want to see epic monster fights, check it out for the visuals alone but don't expect to see nonstop monster brawling the trailers might lead you to believe.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
If you're a superhero fan at all, just watch it...
Wraps up about 10 years of movies spectacularly. Great character development, humor, and just enough fan service. People will say the first 2 hrs were slow, but I had no issues with it. Watched it 5x in packed theaters and they are once in a lifetime experience to cheer for these heroes in a crowd.
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019)
8/10 with some caveats...
I no longer follow the Pokemon franchise; the last game I played was Pokemon Silver and last watched the cartoons from the 90's. Still, I have fond memories of it and wanted to see this brought to life, and it sure as heck did.
All the Pokemon were well designed and felt real in the world. Rhime City felt well-lived and the Pokemon relations were convincing. There were so many "awwww"s from the audience from their cute antics, and there were few children when I watched it. The building designs of the city were just perfect, reminding me of Tokyo and resemble the cartoons. The acting was pretty good and I liked the twist at the end.
Why I almost gave it a 7/10 was the wonky pacing with some very slow scenes that felt forced and drawn out, particularly in the "mountains" and when Tim sat down at the station talking about his past to Pikachu. I don't mind character development - I had 0 issue with slow scenes from Endgame, Interstellar, etc, but here it's like forcing me to empathize with a brand new character too fast. Couple with this the lack of action and I was left a little disappointed in the Charizard and last battles. Don't expect cartoony explosive action like in the cartoons, particularly if you have eager hyperactive kids.
Great graphics, Pokemon designs, and world with slowish pacing and less spectacle than I expected from PIkachu. A sequel won't feel out of place at all.
Shazam! (2019)
Great fun
A lot of humor, but doesn't feel forced at all (maybe except the Sparkle Fingers name). The family union didn't feel cohesive at first, but slowly builds up into a warm and surprising ending. Shazam was just fun to watch - really feels like a kid in an adult's body. It has something most other comic/action movies lack - heart. Feels a bit touching at the end.
Only weak points are the action and the villain. Pretty basic action and not much tension. The villain is just holding a grudge since as a kid and not being "pure of heart."
Pet Sematary (2019)
Great atmosphere.
I didn't read the book, but still enjoyed the movie. The daughter was great and felt terrible what happened to her. The atmosphere of the house and forest was eerie, and I liked the uneasy unholy tension when the daughter is back. The family dynamics was pretty realistic. The ending left a sour taste in a good way, like in The Mist.
I just wanted more buildup and mystery added, something with the little kids wheelbarrowing a pet. They show up for one scene then just disappear. I also expected more horror with dead pets and wasn't as scary overall as I thought.
The Curse of La Llorona (2019)
Nothing really noteworthy.
I'm not normally a fan of horror movies and get creeped out easily, so this one was a bit fun to watch. But almost every jump scare was predictable. When there's a quiet, slow-panning camera, you just know something will happen, and then it just does. There's not much plot build up and tension inbetween the surprise appearances.
The child actors don't even do much, and considering this is about a ghost stealing away children this is a disappointment. They barely talk and interact with each other. The bathtub scene was a touching scene but the ghost appearance ends up disappointing. I only ended up caring about the mom, but felt her husband's death didn't serve much of a purpose at all.
It's a bit scary and was entertaining, but forgettable. No haunting themes to dwell on or bring home with you. Maybe the only memorable scene for me was the candles scene.
Us (2019)
I don't get the hype...
Great concept and I liked the twist at the end, but throughout most of the movie it keeps going from thriller-type movie to comedy. It has a good buildup up until the home invasion but afterward it just feels watered down.
People keep saying there's so much symbolism in the movie like the concept of duality, how meaningful is having a soul, references to the Bible eg Jeremiah 11:11, keeping up with the rich at the cost of your identity, etc. So I watched it a second time but there just isn't much to reflect on. You have to dig realllly deep to ponder about the aforementioned themes, but I just find that grasping at straws to put more meaning in the film. The only big theme I was left thinking on was (without spoiling), Can a copy of a person without a soul be considered a real person?
The more I think of the plot the more I disliked it due to the plot holes, hence the 6/10. Both times I watched it I heard others in the theater mumble "wait, that makes no sense," "what?" etc. Without spoilers, how do the other people escape underground? How do they get organized so damn well before and after their escape when one person does all the planning without electronics? How does an entire city let alone the nation fall to these people armed with nothing but scissors? How does *she escape with mimicry when the elevator only goes DOWN??? Why is she always being kept alive after being caught? Who feeds the bloody rabbits and how is that a viable way to feed them all?
I guess it's worth a rental to see an interesting concept with a good score and cinematic ending, but overall with all the hype and $$$ it's been getting, I find it disappointing.