My 2016 Movie Reviews
I post the reviews when I see the movies. Not a psychic so haven't seen any yet lol. I just make the list itself in Januray. I add the reviews as the year goes on and I actually see the movies.
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- DirectorMichael BayStarsJohn KrasinskiPablo SchreiberJames Badge DaleDuring an attack on a U.S. compound in Libya, a security team struggles to make sense out of the chaos.***
- DirectorTim StoryStarsIce CubeKevin HartTika SumpterAs his wedding day approaches, Ben heads to Miami with his soon-to-be brother-in-law James to bring down a drug dealer who's supplying the dealers of Atlanta with product.
- DirectorJay OlivaStarsJason O'MaraYvonne StrahovskiStuart AllanBruce Wayne is missing. Alfred covers for him while Nightwing and Robin patrol Gotham City in his stead. And a new player, Batwoman, investigates Batman's disappearance.I didn't expect much but Bad Blood is engaging, gritty and fun. Plus there's definitely a Grant Morrison feel to it. Which is a good thing.
Dick Grayson as Batman when Bruce is missing is something I have wanted to see on the screen since reading it in the comics.
My only problems is there's too many unnecessary hero additions. Lucious Fox having a military son who wants to join the Batman team and Batwoman a lesbian; are just for the sake of diversity. But feel forced and don't add much to the story. ***1/2. - DirectorAlessandro CarloniJennifer Yuh NelsonStarsJack BlackBryan CranstonDustin HoffmanContinuing his "legendary adventures of awesomeness", Po must face two hugely epic, but different threats: one supernatural and the other a little closer to home.***1/2: Mild Spoilers: Felt a little uneven to me. While it seemed a little out of character for Shifu to basically be like "Poe; you're now the master; see ya." Or Poe to not complain much about all the walking he does on the way to the secret Panda hiding place.
Also if where the Panda's were hiding was so secret; then how come later on anyone who tried were able to find it ?
Otherwise the movie can be hilarious, touching and has good lessons about being yourself. But then again all the movies had that lesson pretty much.
Kung-Fu Panda 3 is one of the rare 3rd movies that didn't suck. - DirectorBurr SteersStarsLily JamesSam RileyJack HustonFive sisters in 19th century England must cope with the pressures to marry while protecting themselves from a growing population of zombies.***: The film actually works better as a costume drama than it does as a horror/comedy. Since everyone is in character just fine while there's nothing wrong with the look of the film.
The movie might even have worked better if it was just Pride and Prejudice....without zombies. - DirectorTim MillerStarsRyan ReynoldsMorena BaccarinT.J. MillerA wisecracking mercenary gets experimented on and becomes immortal yet hideously scarred, and sets out to track down the man who ruined his looks.***1/2: The Fox Marvel universe is a mess since for instance Deadpool makes believe X-Men Origins never happened. Yes Days of Future past erased that movie but not the fact that Wade Wilson was around in the 1970's-80's.
Yet Liev Schreiber from the movie this makes believe didn't exist might come back in the next Wolverine. That alone is a lot to take in. Yet; there's more messes.
If you don't try to wrap your brain around stuff like Xavier having a convenient twin in a coma incase he ever needed the body. Then yes; movies like Deadpool and X-Men Days of Future Past are great Fox Marvel movies.
Deadpool isn't for everyone though since just like the character the movie can be annoying. But also just like Deadpool the movie is also awesome. Half awesome; half annoying equels ***1/2. - DirectorBen StillerStarsBen StillerOwen WilsonPenélope CruzDerek and Hansel are lured into modelling again, in Rome, where they find themselves the target of a sinister conspiracy.
- DirectorRobert EggersStarsAnya Taylor-JoyRalph InesonKate DickieA family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic and possession.
- DirectorWoo-Ping YuenStarsDonnie YenMichelle YeohHarry Shum Jr.A story of lost love, young love, a legendary sword and one last opportunity at redemption.***1/2: The movie may have arrived 16 years too late and take awhile to pick up. However Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny makes for a fine kung-fu fantasy/adventure full of solid action and great visuals.
- DirectorByron HowardRich MooreJared BushStarsGinnifer GoodwinJason BatemanIdris ElbaIn a city of anthropomorphic animals, a rookie bunny cop and a cynical con artist fox must work together to uncover a conspiracy.****: A charming and sweet animated Disney mystery that has a good lesson about racism and stereotyping.
- DirectorDan TrachtenbergStarsJohn GoodmanMary Elizabeth WinsteadJohn Gallagher Jr.A young woman is held in an underground bunker by a man who insists that a hostile event has left the surface of the Earth uninhabitable.***: The small cast does a fine job. Just don't expect the big monster movie the first was. What I enjoyed the most is that it's not a Found Footage movie like the first.
- DirectorBabak NajafiStarsGerard ButlerAaron EckhartMorgan FreemanIn London for the Prime Minister's funeral, Mike Banning is caught up in a plot to assassinate all the attending world leaders.**1/2: will the big brute Gerald Butler survive a terrorist attack on London to see his baby born ? Well that's obvious. The film of course is predictable but makes a good non-stop action movie to watch at home when you're bored.
- DirectorJodie FosterStarsGeorge ClooneyJulia RobertsJack O'ConnellFinancial TV host Lee Gates and his producer Patty are put in an extreme situation when an irate investor takes them and their crew as hostage.
- DirectorJohn LeeStarsPaul ReubensJordan BlackDoug CoxA fateful meeting with a mysterious stranger inspires Pee-wee Herman to take his first holiday ever in this epic story of friendship and destiny.***: Pee Wee makes friends with actor Joe Manganie (True Blood) and is invited to his Birthday party in NYC. Which leads him on an adventure away from home for the first time "which ignores that he was out of town in Big Adventure." Where he meets many other oddballs on the way of course.
Pee Wee's friendship with Manganie is where the charm is and most of the laughs. The movie isn't Oscar worthy of course but it is a more watchable made for Netflix flick than Ridiculous 6 at least. - DirectorRobert SchwentkeStarsShailene WoodleyTheo JamesJeff DanielsAfter the earth-shattering revelations of Insurgent, Tris must escape with Four beyond the wall that encircles Chicago, to finally discover the shocking truth of the world around them.
- DirectorZack SnyderStarsBen AffleckHenry CavillAmy AdamsBatman is manipulated by Lex Luthor to fear Superman. Superman´s existence is meanwhile dividing the world and he is framed for murder during an international crisis. The heroes clash and force the neutral Wonder Woman to reemerge.***: Spoiler Alert:
Some good action and good Batman scenes. Wonder Woman wasn't bad either. Director Zack Snyder doesn't know if it's Watchmen 2, Dark Knight Returns or Death of Superman though. He tries to do too much at once.
While the movie has bad pacing and too many unnecessary dream sequences.
Also too much of a looney take on Lex Luther by an over the top Jesse Eisenberg. While why would mankind build a statue of Superman if they don't trust him ? - DirectorJon FavreauStarsNeel SethiBill MurrayBen KingsleyAfter a threat from the tiger Shere Khan forces him to flee the jungle, a man-cub named Mowgli embarks on a journey of self discovery with the help of panther Bagheera and free-spirited bear Baloo.Although I loved the under-rated 1994 live action film that used real animals instead of CGI. This is an excellent adaption with fine visuals and great voice work by Bill Murray, Ben Kingsli and Idris Elba.
The Jungle Book surprisingly is even a better live action adaption than last years Cinderella.
**** - DirectorMalcolm D. LeeStarsIce CubeRegina HallAnthony AndersonAs their surrounding community has taken a turn for the worse, the crew at Calvin's Barbershop come together to bring some much needed change to their neighborhood.
- DirectorMike FlanaganStarsJohn Gallagher Jr.Kate SiegelMichael TruccoA deaf and mute writer who retreated into the woods to live a solitary life must fight for her life in silence when a masked killer appears at her window.***1/2: A deaf writer in a secluded area finds herself fighting for her life against a killer who likes to play head games with his victims.
Hush is a well made edge of your seat thriller. Kate Siegel is excellent especially. The only weak thing about it is the killer. While he is perfectly played by John Gallagher Jr. as a real scum bag. We don't get much answers about him other then he is there and he is dangerous.
Still Hush is one of the best survival films you could watch. If you liked You're Next; you should definitely check out Hush. - DirectorCedric Nicolas-TroyanStarsChris HemsworthJessica ChastainCharlize TheronEric and fellow warrior Sara, raised as members of ice Queen Freya's army, try to conceal their forbidden love as they fight to survive the wicked intentions of both Freya and her sister Ravenna.**: The movie is more like Winter's Bore or Snore. It has no strong reason for even existing. While you have Emily Blunt playing a one dimensional dark version of Elsa who is against anyone who believes in love.
You're not missing much if you skip this movie. - DirectorPeter AtencioStarsKeegan-Michael KeyJordan PeeleTiffany HaddishWhen the adorable kitten of an L.A. crime kingpin unexpectedly enters the life of two cousins, they will have to go through tough gangs, pitiless hit-men, and ruthless drug dealers who all claim him, to get him back. How hard can it be?***: Rell is depressed after a recent break-up and a stray cat he finds is the cure for his blues. When the cat he named Keanu goes missing; Rell and his friend Clarence will do anything to get him back.
Even pose as drug dealers and try to act gangsta. The Do-Over was a decent comedy about mistaken identity. Keanu however does it better and is funnier as well as smarter - DirectorAnthony RussoJoe RussoStarsChris EvansRobert Downey Jr.Scarlett JohanssonPolitical involvement in the Avengers' affairs causes a rift between Captain America and Iron Man.****: way more well structured than Batman vs Superman. Civil War can be just as serious as Dawn of Justice but why does it have way more higher reviews then ? Because the Russo brothers are far better directors than Zack Snyder.
Snyder threw a bunch of comics together in one movie and hoped it worked. Civil War can be surprisingly just as dark but the difference is that it's also fun and engaging. - DirectorClay KaytisFergal ReillyStarsJason SudeikisJosh GadDanny McBrideWhen an island populated by happy, flightless birds is visited by mysterious green pigs, it's up to three unlikely outcasts to figure out what the pigs are up to.***: The film will probably be lame to some but despite not being perfect there's some heart and charm. While Angry Birds is one of the better movies based on a video game.
- DirectorNicholas StollerStarsSeth RogenRose ByrneZac EfronWhen their new next-door neighbors turn out to be a sorority even more debaucherous than the fraternity that lived there before, Mac and Kelly team with their former enemy, Teddy, to bring the girls down.***: it's the first all over again pretty much but with plenty of laughs nevertheless. They need to stop after this one though. As unnecessary as a sequel to Neighbors was. A third would be beating a dead horse.
We definitely don't need three movies that start out with orgasmic Seth Rogen noises. - DirectorShane BlackStarsRussell CroweRyan GoslingAngourie RiceIn 1970s Los Angeles, a mismatched pair of private eyes investigate a missing girl and the mysterious death of a porn star.***1/2: Great fun with fine work by Ryan Goslin and Russell Crowe. Goslin is especially in good form as a clumsy alcoholic detective. Together they are on the case of finding a missing pornstar.
- DirectorBryan SingerStarsJames McAvoyMichael FassbenderJennifer LawrenceIn the 1980s the X-Men must defeat an ancient all-powerful mutant, En Sabah Nur, who intends to thrive through bringing destruction to the world.***: has plenty of cool moments even if the X-Men films coexist with each other less and less as they go on. X-Men: Apocalypse isn't the best of the bunch but it's not the weakest since X-Men 3 happened first.
The movie has it's slow points but comes to life and is more fun whenever Quicksilver is on screen pretty much. - DirectorJames BobinStarsMia WasikowskaJohnny DeppHelena Bonham CarterAlice is appointed to save her beloved Mad Hatter from deadly grief by travelling back to the past, but this means fatally harming Time himself, the noble clockwork man with the device needed to save the Hatter's family from the Red Queen.***: The 2010 film was pretty much Alice Through the Looking Glass. Despite all the reviews saying the movie is awful. I think it still isn't bad despite not being based on any Lewis Carroll story.
Mia Wasikowska is still a pleasure to watch as Alice and slips back into the role just fine. What won me over is it's lesson about how important family is. That's what makes it charming despite having no true good reason for existing - DirectorSteven BrillStarsAdam SandlerDavid SpadePaula PattonTwo down-on-their-luck guys decide to fake their own deaths and start over with new identities, only to find the people they're pretending to be are in even deeper trouble.**1/2: The Do-Over would have worked if it just relied on Sandler and Spade's chemistry. Rather than throwing silly twists and turns at us. As well; of course smothering us in tasteless crude and raunchy humor.
Otherwise; Happy Madison almost actually made a good movie. - DirectorDave GreenStarsMegan FoxWill ArnettTyler PerryThe Turtles get into another battle with their enemy the Shredder, who has acquired new allies: the mutant thugs Bebop and Rocksteady and the alien being Krang.***: Shredder doesn't feel like Shredder much at all. Was mostly my only problem with this sequel. Hell I think he basically just has a little scratch on his face in this one over his face being a scarred wreck in the previous film.
I found having Krang and Bebop and Rocksteady finally made it feel more like Ninja Turtles than most of the other movies. Splinter always being a rat and not once human is a waste of his better backstory in the cartoon series. Where he had a daughter named Karai that Shredder stole and raised.
Karai is in this film and the first but there's real purpose for her without that backstory. Instead she's just a loyal pupil to Shredder. I also think Casey Jones should have been a little more scruffy. Stephen Amell looks he just got off the set of Arrow.
Despite the corniness that is expected by films called Ninja Turtles; Out of the Shadows is still probably the best next to the 1990 film. Despite the villain plot feeling like it was straight from Avengers or Transformers. It was still at least a stronger villain plot than the first film. - DirectorTod WilliamsStarsJohn CusackSamuel L. JacksonIsabelle FuhrmanWhen a mysterious cell phone signal causes apocalyptic chaos, an artist is determined to reunite with his young son in New England.**1/2: Despite Cell not being one of the best Stephen King adaptations; it has some good creepy moments. The end is just stupid though. What starts out fine enough just makes zero sense by the end.
- DirectorJames WanStarsVera FarmigaPatrick WilsonMadison WolfeEd and Lorraine Warren travel to North London to help a single mother raising four children alone in a house plagued by a supernatural spirit.***1/2: some of the ghost appearances I admit I found more silly than scary in both Conjuring films. The stories, acting and direction style are what make both films solid though.
The little scared are what work; like knocks on bedroom doors at night time or swings moving with no one on them. The ghosts themselves pretty much popping out to say boo; I find less effective.
Director James Wan has however used a lot of the little scared that worked in the previous films; all over again. Like covers being ripped off kids in bed.
The film definitely isn't bad though. - DirectorJon M. ChuStarsJesse EisenbergMark RuffaloWoody HarrelsonThe Four Horsemen resurface, and are forcibly recruited by a tech genius to pull off their most impossible heist yet.***: I think it's better than the first due to less silly twists. While yes it does still have silly moments. Now You See Me 2 is also funner with more of a story and nice cast additions.
Lizzy Caplan especially is cute and funny; taking the place of Isla Fisher. While Daniel Radcliffe is funny in his first appearance but eventually doesn't have too much to do.
All the dialogue of characters explaining how they did this or that or simply just too much dialogue. Is what holds the film back though. - DirectorDuncan JonesStarsTravis FimmelPaula PattonBen FosterAs an Orc horde invades the planet Azeroth using a magic portal, a few human heroes and dissenting Orcs must attempt to stop the true evil behind this war.***: One of the better video game based movies. Shouldn't only appeal to fans of the game but also fans of Fantasy.
- DirectorAndrew StantonAngus MacLaneStarsEllen DeGeneresAlbert BrooksEd O'NeillFriendly but forgetful blue tang Dory begins a search for her long-lost parents and everyone learns a few things about the real meaning of family along the way.***1/2: Smart and charming but it didn't really leave me thinking I watched a classic; like Zootopia did. I mean Zootopia makes you think. Finding Dory isn't bad at all but all the non-stop Dory memory loss can get tiresome.
- DirectorRawson Marshall ThurberStarsDwayne JohnsonKevin HartDanielle NicoletAfter he reconnects with an awkward pal from high school through Facebook, a mild-mannered accountant is lured into the world of international espionage.***: The action comedy, high school reunion film that the Do-Over could have been. If the Adam Sandler film wasn't over-stuffed with raunchiness and crude humor.
The Rock and Kevin Hart make a good team. Hart is more laidback and seems to be acting for once. While the Rock plays a big lug you just want to give a big hug.
It's just kind of hard to believe that a man so scarred from High School bullying grew up to be a bad ass special agent. Plus as an action film there's many cliches. - DirectorRoland EmmerichStarsLiam HemsworthJeff GoldblumBill PullmanTwo decades after the first Independence Day invasion, Earth is faced with a new extra-Solar threat. But will mankind's new space defenses be enough?***: The movie isn't bad but by the end it just felt like Independence Day Kids. Where it's just about introducing all new young heroes with two of them children of characters from the original. With some of the new additions kind of annoying.
Otherwise Independence Day: Resurgence wasn't that bad and made a pretty good popcorn flick. Some would say Roland Emmerich is a worse director than Michael Bay but I think his direction wasn't too bad here at all.
I just don't think it will go on to be as memorable as the first though 20 years from now. There is some fun and nice visuals so I would recommend it anyway. - DirectorJaume Collet-SerraStarsBlake LivelyÓscar JaenadaAngelo Josue Lozano CorzoA mere 200 yards from shore, surfer Nancy is attacked by a great white shark, with her short journey to safety becoming the ultimate contest of wills.***1/2: While the Shallows isn't one of those big summer movies you waited for. The Shallows is one of the better summer movies. Due to a solid Blake Lively (Savages) and it's at least a convincing shark attack movie until the end that is.
The movie had me at the edge of my seat throughout. Even when it got unrealistic by the end; I still rooted for Blake Lively's survival. - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsMark RylanceRuby BarnhillPenelope WiltonAn orphan little girl befriends a benevolent giant who takes her to Giant Country, where they attempt to stop the man-eating giants that are invading the human world.***1/2: Slow in the beginning and a little scary for kids. If you can get passed the thought of bad giants who eat kids, the film is a magical delight.
The John Williams score is fantastic as well. Don't expect the best movie Spielberg has ever made but the BFG is a cute family film. - DirectorJames DeMonacoStarsFrank GrilloElizabeth MitchellMykelti WilliamsonFormer Police Sergeant Barnes becomes head of security for Senator Charlie Roan, a Presidential candidate targeted for death on Purge night due to her vow to eliminate the Purge.***: a pretty insane action horror film. The first was decent but the sequels improved on a good idea.
- DirectorDavid YatesStarsAlexander SkarsgårdRory J SaperChristian StevensTarzan, having acclimated to life in London, is called back to his former home in the jungle to investigate the activities at a mining encampment.***: The plot is thin and the beginning can be slow. The second half of Tarzan is when the film picks up. While Alexander Skarsgard makes a good Tarzan.
Critics said at least the film wasn't another origin story. However if the film was an origin story, the pacing might have been better. David Yates might have had more to work with as well.
Than just a kidnap Jane to lure Tarzan to the jungle plot. Or maybe Yates should just stick to Fantasy. - DirectorChris RenaudStarsLouis C.K.Eric StonestreetKevin HartThe quiet life of a terrier named Max is upended when his owner takes in Duke, a stray whom Max instantly dislikes.***: the film is charming and fun. If not cliche. I mean of course there's dog pounds and dog catchers in a pet movie. While you know the two dogs who don't like each other will have to team up to get home. Just like Woody and Buzz in Toy Story.
- DirectorPaul FeigStarsMelissa McCarthyKristen WiigKate McKinnonFollowing a ghost invasion of Manhattan, paranormal enthusiasts Erin Gilbert and Abby Yates, nuclear engineer Jillian Holtzmann, and subway worker Patty Tolan band together to stop the otherworldly threat.**1/2: 75% good reviews make Ghostbusters probably the most overrated film of the year. The movie just wasn't as memorable as the original. I think Ghostbusters got so many good reviews just to shut up people who said a Ghostbusters reboot was a bad idea.
I can't even say Ghostbusters proves what Paul Feig wanted it to. Sorry but I only laughed hard during any Chris Hemsworth secretary scene. Hell, I even can say my 13 year old niece just laughed hard during his scenes.
Kristen Wiig is just playing the dopely dry humor character she always plays. She gets slimed many times but none of those scenes are as funny as when Bill Murray got slimed once in the original. Melissa McCarthy is just a brainy version of the feisty character she always plays.
Kate McKinnon is trying something different at least rather than just phoning it in. Her character is more strange than she is funny though. While Leslie Jones is basically just loud.
The original was full of sharp dialogue. Paul Feig's Ghostbusters lacks that even. Since a lot of the dialogue is the women blabbing back and forth. None of the cameos of the original stars weren't even too memorable.
Paul Feig at least showed us Chris Hemsworth is funny since he got all the best lines. Feig didn't write anything too great for the women to say. As for the CGI, it looked like it was stolen from Scooby Doo: Monsters Unleashed. - DirectorJustin LinStarsChris PineZachary QuintoKarl UrbanThe crew of the USS Enterprise explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a new ruthless enemy, who puts them, and everything the Federation stands for, to the test.***1/2:
The crew of the Enterprise must fight for their lives after an ambush by a new enemy named Krall (Idris Elba). While the story wasn't completely strong the chemistry of the cast was. The visuals were also as strong as the great action, since all of JJ's beloved lens flares weren't in the way.
Small spoiler: Spock mourning older Spock from an alternate time line, was also a great tribute to the late Leonard Nimoy. Spoiler: I can also say that Sulu gay does not hurt the birth of his daughter who later joins Star Fleet, so relax nerds lol. The late Anton Yelchin (Fright Night) gets the most he got to do in any Star Trek film as Chekov as well. Which made it sad it was his last time in the role.
Idris Elba (Luther) gets a mostly forgettable villain to play but at least he was an original villain, unlike Khan. Nero was probably the best villain of the newer films. Since Kirk's dad died because of him, he causd an alternate time line and destroyed Spock's planet. Jaylah (Sofia Boutella) however is the show stealer new character in Star Trek Beyond as a bad ass alien warrior who befriends Scotty (Simon Pegg).
I wouldn't even mind if Justin Lin returns as director over JJ. Since JJ has shown with Super 8, Into Darkness and Force Awakens that he is better at making tributes than original movies. Plus I should mention that the Beastie Boys song Sabotage part made me pumped up and was a pretty kick ass scene. It fit the movie well since young Kirk listened to the song as a kid, when he stole his step dad's car in the first one.
JJ's part 4 would probably have Kirk looking for whales, while searching for Spock. Then part 5 would have Spock's brother who is on a mission to find God lol. So I wouldn't mind if Justin Lin stuck with the series. Since not too much felt as if we already saw it in a previous Star Trek film. Unlike JJ's Wrath of Khan tribute in Into Darkness. - DirectorMichael ThurmeierGalen T. ChuStarsRay RomanoDenis LearyJohn LeguizamoWhen Scrat's acorn sends an asteroid to Earth, the Herd must find a way to stop the asteroid from hitting Earth with the help of a returning friend.
- DirectorHenry JoostAriel SchulmanStarsEmma RobertsDave FrancoEmily MeadeA high school senior finds herself immersed in an online game of truth or dare, where her every move starts to become manipulated by an anonymous community of "watchers."***: Emma Roberts plays a innocent girl for once and is pretty good. She is also like Britt Robertson where she can still pull off a 18 yr old at 25.
Here she plays a High School senior who has never done anything wild. That is until she signs up to play a game named Nerve. Which will pay her all different amounts of money if she does the dares assigned to. While playing the game, she is made up to team with a expert of the game played by Dave Franco.
She finds that she enjoys the thrills too much while getting close to a bad boy she barely knows. Franco and Roberts are great together. Who thought Dave Franco would be so good as a cool kid and not a dork for once.
The soundtrack is great and the movie just has a charm to it that makes it likeable. Not everyone will appreciate Nerve but to me it was harmless and fun. - DirectorPaul GreengrassStarsMatt DamonTommy Lee JonesAlicia VikanderThe CIA's most dangerous former operative is drawn out of hiding to uncover more explosive truths about his past.**1/2: Damon still plays Bourne well but despite seeing the movie last week. I some how forgot about it and to review it. Since there's no strong reason for the movie existing.
The movie has fine action but at this point it sadly feels like if you have seen one Bourne movie, you have seen them all. If there's another, I am sure there will be yet another higher up guy of Treadstone ordering Bourne's death.
That movie will also be entertaining but forgettable. - DirectorSam LiuStarsKevin ConroyMark HamillTara StrongAs Batman hunts for the escaped Joker, the Clown Prince of Crime attacks the Gordon family to prove a diabolical point mirroring his own fall into madness.**1/2: Spoiler: Batman and Batgirl team up to take down some bad guys. After an unnecessary sex scene between them. Joker is then just thrown into the mix in the second half. With him doing some unsettling things.
The movie feels like a darker and brutally violent episode of the 90's cartoon series. With a weird ending. - DirectorDavid AyerStarsWill SmithJared LetoMargot RobbieA secret government agency recruits some of the most dangerous incarcerated super-villains to form a defensive task force. Their first mission: save the world from the apocalypse.***:
The Joker and Harley Quinn scenes are perfect and some are straight from the comics. It's just unfortunate that some actors even at their best have such a weak plot to work with.
The villain is like something from a Mummy movie. While the heroes/villains feel out of place fighting her zombie like minions. Even Jai Courtney showing he can do more than play a stiff hero in Die Hard 5 or Terminator Genisys is wasted in this movie.
I mean the actors make a lot of effort to be entertaining and are in good form. They deserved better than shooting at supernatural creatures in Harley's case hitting them with bats.
When you finally get to hear Harley Quinn saying Mr. J. or Pudding on the big screen for the first time. The movie really deserved a better story than Suicide Squad: Zombie Hunters. - DirectorDavid LoweryStarsBryce Dallas HowardRobert RedfordOakes FegleyThe adventures of an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend Elliott, who happens to be a dragon.***1/2: a sentimental and moving film throughout. Disney needs to remake their lesser known films more often. Over forcing Splash and Rocketeer remakes on us.
How about Something Wicked This Way Comes ? - DirectorTodd PhillipsStarsJonah HillMiles TellerSteve LantzLoosely based on the true story of two young men, David Packouz and Efraim Diveroli, who won a three hundred million dollar contract from the Pentagon to arm America's allies in Afghanistan.***1/2: Todd Phillips (The Hangover) does a decent job trying to be Martin Scorsese. He gets as good of a performance out of Jonah Hill, as Scorsese probably could have.
Bradley Cooper is surprisingly chilling in a supporting role as a guns dealer, you don't want to piss off. Miles Teller isn't bad either but I think he's outshined by Hill and Cooper. He might even be slightly miscast.
Still, I enjoyed War Dogs a lot more than I expected. - DirectorConrad VernonGreg TiernanStarsSeth RogenKristen WiigJonah HillA sausage leads a group of supermarket products on a journey to discover the truth about their existence and what really happens when they are picked off the shelf.***: the film is as twisted as expected. However, it's not as clever as expected. Sausage Party is from Seth Rogen. So I should have expected it to be about food that just wants to get high and get laid ??
The film is both stupid in a good way but also stupid in a bad way at times. - DirectorJean-François RichetStarsMel GibsonErin MoriartyDiego LunaAn ex-con reunites with his estranged wayward 17-year old daughter to protect her from drug dealers who are trying to kill her.***1/2/ Mel Gibson still can play a bad ass that no one wants to cross. Of course people are always dumb enough to piss off Mel though. This time drug dealers go after the daughter he barely knows after she accidentally shoots one.
He bonds with her while protecting her. Gibson is great and the movie is well made even if some-what predictable. - DirectorDavid MackenzieStarsChris PineBen FosterJeff BridgesToby is a divorced father who's trying to make a better life. His brother is an ex-con with a short temper and a loose trigger finger. Together, they plan a series of heists against the bank that's about to foreclose on their family ranch.
- DirectorFede AlvarezStarsStephen LangJane LevyDylan MinnetteHoping to walk away with a massive fortune, a trio of thieves break into the house of a blind man who isn't as helpless as he seems.***1/2: a twisted and intense thriller where you never really know what will happen next. Well despite the trailers giving away the fate of one character.
- DirectorAdam WingardStarsJames Allen McCuneCallie HernandezCorbin ReidAfter discovering a video showing what he believes to be his vanished sister Heather, James and a group of friends head to the forest believed to be inhabited by the Blair Witch.**: A sequel to the original that feels like the 1999 movie all over again. I am a fan of Adam Wingard (You're Next, The Guest) when he has original ideas.
I might have liked the film more if it wasn't a found footage movie. Since I couldn't tell much about what was going most the time. It also could have used to take the story somewhere different than the original.
I get the main boy being related to Heather from the original and wanting to find her. Which is a good idea for a sequel. Nothing is done with that idea though. We just relive through the first movie all over again. - DirectorAntoine FuquaStarsDenzel WashingtonChris PrattEthan HawkeSeven gunmen from a variety of backgrounds are brought together by a vengeful young widow to protect her town from the private army of a destructive industrialist.***: A bit routine for a Western even if Denzel Washington in it as the hero was supposed to make it feel fresher. The result is pretty much the same as any revenge Western. Chris Pratt at least brings laughs to the movie though.
Denzel is pretty much the usual Denzel, just as a cowboy. Jamie Fox probably brought the most to a black cowboy. Since we believed in his hard ships. There probably should have been more racism in the movie. - DirectorPeter BergStarsMark WahlbergKurt RussellDouglas M. GriffinA dramatization of the disaster in April 2010, when the offshore drilling rig called the Deepwater Horizon exploded, resulting in the worst oil spill in American history.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsEva GreenAsa ButterfieldSamuel L. JacksonWhen Jacob (Asa Butterfield) discovers clues to a mystery that stretches across time, he finds Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. But the danger deepens after he gets to know the residents and learns about their special powers.**1/2: I am a big Tim Burton fan but this might have been a story that was beneath him. The book probably just attracted him since it was something he could be his dark and gothic self with.
Why do so many movies with Samuel L. Jackson as the villain with bad hair almost always suck ? I mean the film was decent enough before more scenes with him towards the end. The movie gets more goofy and turns into Robert Rodriguez kids movie, bad. - DirectorMike FlanaganStarsElizabeth ReaserLulu WilsonAnnalise BassoIn 1967 Los Angeles, a widowed mother and her daughters add a new stunt to bolster their seance scam business by inviting an evil presence into their home, not realizing how dangerous it is.***1/2: It's unfortunately a prequel to a bad movie but otherwise there's nothing bad about this movie surprisingly. The film is about as creepy as a Conjuring movie and well acted as well.
- DirectorRon HowardStarsTom HanksFelicity JonesIrrfan KhanWhen Robert Langdon wakes up in an Italian hospital with amnesia, he teams up with Dr. Sienna Brooks and they race across Europe together against the clock to foil a deadly global plot.***: Not everything worked, mostly the twists. However I don't get why critics rated this even lower than the first two. When everything they found silly about those aren't existent in this movie.
Tom Hanks is probably even at his best as Langdon in Inferno. - DirectorTyler PerryStarsTyler PerryCassi DavisPatrice LovelyMadea lands in the midst of mayhem when she spends a haunted Halloween fending off killers, paranormal poltergeists, ghosts, ghouls, and zombies while keeping a watchful eye on her wild teenage great-niece.
- DirectorEdward ZwickStarsTom CruiseCobie SmuldersAldis HodgeJack Reacher must uncover the truth behind a major government conspiracy in order to clear his name while on the run as a fugitive from the law.
- DirectorScott DerricksonStarsBenedict CumberbatchChiwetel EjioforRachel McAdamsWhile on a journey of physical and spiritual healing, a brilliant neurosurgeon is drawn into the world of the mystic arts.****: Some how Doctor Strane may be even trippier than the Matrix and Inception combined. While due to the great cast and visually stunning action it's of Marvel's best origin story next to Iron Man.
- DirectorMike MitchellWalt DohrnStarsAnna KendrickJustin TimberlakeZooey DeschanelAfter the Bergens invade Troll Village, Poppy, the happiest Troll ever born, and the curmudgeonly Branch set off on a journey to rescue her friends.***: sweet and occasionally funny musical that to me often feels like an episode of the Smurfs.
- DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsAmy AdamsJeremy RennerForest WhitakerA linguist works with the military to communicate with alien lifeforms after twelve mysterious spacecraft appear around the world.***
- DirectorDavid YatesStarsEddie RedmayneKatherine WaterstonAlison SudolIn 1926, magizoologist Newt Scamander arrives in New York during his worldwide tour to research and rescue magical creatures as something mysterious leaves trails of destruction in the city, threatening to expose the wizarding world.***1/2: Manages to be fantastic despite being a little over stuffed and draggy with bad pacing. The actors playing the heroes are all charming and help make this a worthy prequel.
- DirectorKelly Fremon CraigStarsHailee SteinfeldHaley Lu RichardsonBlake JennerHigh-school life gets even more unbearable for Nadine when her best friend, Krista, starts dating her older brother.
- DirectorRon ClementsJohn MuskerDon HallStarsAuli'i CravalhoDwayne JohnsonRachel HouseIn ancient Polynesia, when a terrible curse incurred by the demigod Maui reaches Moana's island, she answers the Ocean's call to seek out Maui to set things right.***1/2: beautiful movie with some memorable songs, some not so memorable. Zootopia had a more memorable song. Yet it was snubbed of a Golden Globe.
- DirectorMark WatersStarsBilly Bob ThorntonKathy BatesTony CoxFueled by cheap whiskey, greed and hatred, Willie teams up once again with his angry little sidekick, Marcus, to knock off a Chicago charity on Christmas Eve.
- DirectorTom FordStarsAmy AdamsJake GyllenhaalMichael ShannonA wealthy art gallery owner is haunted by her ex-husband's novel, a violent thriller she interprets as a symbolic revenge tale.****: A gut wrenching drama where Amy Adams get pulled into an intense and violent story her ex has written. Where she can't stop reading or thinking about it.
The viewer also gets pulled into the story she is reading. Due to Jake Gyllenhaal, Aaron Taylor Johnson and Michael Shannon all giving phenomenal performances.
Think Princess Bride but without the fairytale story and a harsh reality. - DirectorJosh GordonWill SpeckStarsJason BatemanOlivia MunnT.J. MillerWhen his uptight CEO sister threatens to shut down his branch, the branch manager throws an epic Christmas party in order to land a big client and save the day, but the party gets way out of hand...
- DirectorGareth EdwardsStarsFelicity JonesDiego LunaAlan TudykIn a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire's ultimate weapon of destruction.***1/2: Spoiler: A gloomy and probably unnecessary StarWars story it is. However the film is so well acted and well done that it's definitely not bad.
While there's some pretty bad ass Vader appearances. Which
makes us forget the disappointing last time we saw Vader on the big screen in 2005. He gets way cooler lines than "Where's Padme ?" and "Noooooo!" - DirectorDavid FrankelStarsWill SmithEdward NortonKate WinsletRetreating from life after a tragedy, a man questions the universe by writing to Love, Time, and Death. Receiving unexpected answers, he begins to see how these things interlock and how even loss can reveal moments of meaning and beauty.
- DirectorMorten TyldumStarsJennifer LawrenceChris PrattMichael SheenA malfunction in a sleeping pod on a spacecraft traveling to a distant colony planet wakes one passenger 90 years early.***: Chris Pratt wakes up on a space ship alone that won't reach it's destination for 90 years. He gets bored and lonely and wakes up Jennifer Lawrence.
I liked the ship. I wouldn't mind spending time on it, especially if Jennifer Lawrence was there. Pratt and Lawrence have great chemistry too. The problem is that most of the movie is just watching two people do things on a cool ship. Like having dance offs, drink, swim, play basketball and predictably fall in love.
I still don't get why critics hated it though. There's good performances and I like the science fiction aspect of the movie. Plus it's not like the film doesn't keep your interest. I guess critics thought the movie needed the plot from Alien. - DirectorJustin KurzelStarsMichael FassbenderMarion CotillardJeremy IronsCallum Lynch explores the memories of his ancestor Aguilar de Nerha and gains the skills of a Master Assassin, before taking on the secret Templar society.**1/2: One of the better made movies based on a game due to a fine cast. The locations and costumes feel straight from the game. It's just that the story needed work. Since the action looks great but it's uninvolving.
While the script also never bothers to try and make us care about anyone. - DirectorJ.A. BayonaStarsLewis MacDougallSigourney WeaverFelicity JonesConor, a twelve-year-old boy, encounters an ancient tree monster who proceeds to help him cope with his mother's terminal illness and being bullied in school.
- DirectorGarth JenningsChristophe LourdeletStarsMatthew McConaugheyReese WitherspoonSeth MacFarlaneIn a city of humanoid animals, a hustling theater impresario's attempt to save his theater with a singing competition becomes grander than he anticipates even as its finalists find that their lives will never be the same.***1/2: American Idol meets Looney Tunes in a cute and harmless film. With probably the best sound track ever as well as a great voice cast.