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Reviews
The Boss Baby (2017)
Whacky, wild ride that winds up hilarious
The first 10 minutes of Boss Baby I didn't know what to think. It came at me so fast with it's whacky, wild style that I was not sure how I could get through 90 minutes of it.
As the movie went on I started to really enjoy it. The humor was the type of stupid-funny that is actually hilarious if you're willing to indulge in it. If you're in the mood to watch something with the intention of laughing, it is a perfect animated movie for it.
Alec Baldwin really shines in this as a voice actor. He truly couldn't have been more perfect for this part. His delivery and personality ties the whole thing together.
The Greatest Showman (2017)
A magical movie that never disappoints
Rewatched this movie for the first time in about 5 years, making it probably the fourth total time I've seen it.
It. Never. Disappoints.
Stunning, vibrant, and magical from the opening scene to the last. It also never lags; the pacing is perfect and the songs keep everything moving fluidly in an almost effortless way.
The performances top to bottom are fantastic, but Hugh is such a shining star. The definition of a leading man in this movie. He plays the part flawlessly.
The music is also unbelievably good. It walks the line of the show tune-pop blend with grace, making the songs easy to listen to again and again awhile staying true to the form of art the movie strives to be.
Timeless and sensational!
Uncut Gems (2019)
The most insane thing I've ever watched
I am... Speechless. In a bad way.
Five years ago this movie came out and it's always been one that's piqued my interest. Finally got around to watching it and I was truly shocked by the entire production.
This movie is so overstimulating it's unreal. It is a complete and utter jumbled mess. There are endless plot holes, countless questions, and it never actually turns into anything. I hated all of these characters, every single one. They were so irritating I literally laughed while watching it many times because of these sheer obnoxious audacity.
One star for Lakeith's acting, one star for the Weeknd's random as hell appearance, and one star for the basketball involvement/Kevin Garnet, the only truly entertaining aspect of this whole thing.
WOW.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
What a boring bummer
I'm nearly 20 years late to seeing the well-known "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" film and... Yikes.
I think part of my dislike for the movie comes from my expectations, which maybe isn't fair but I'm finding it hard to separate out my feelings. I thought this was a more serious movie. I knew it was a comedy but I didn't realize it was so hokey and cheesy and fake. I thought there was more legitimacy to their livelihoods as spies, not that everything was gimmicky and half-baked. That was a real letdown.
The acting by both Brad and Angelina also leaves much to be desired in this one. The whole movie is just smoldering and showcasing how attractive they are. It gets older about 60-75 minutes into a 126 minute movie that's for sure.
Some entertaining scenes and sequences but overall quite the dull dud.
Star Trek Beyond (2016)
Not bad but it is underwhelming
The Marvel influences were detected early on in this 2016 movie and continued to crop up throughout the entire thing. It gives the movie a more gimmicky time than the previous two films which was disappointing.
The story is not particularly inspiring or done in a way that I found compelling. It's simply like running through a bullet point list of items to check off the items that need to be covered. It didn't feel cohesive or all that interesting.
There were some good moments for individual characters that I enjoyed, a very solid and well-done action sequence, and a relatively satisfying ending.
Dune: Part Two (2024)
THAT'S how you make a thoughtful blockbuster
What a magnificent and excellent film. Brilliant writing, magnetic production and cinematography, and absolutely amazing acting performances. All coupled with a chilling score; this right here is storytelling.
I was critical of the pace in Dune Part 1. I found the world building, acting, and cinematography to also be beautiful and well done in that movie but it drug along in several spots. These critiques from me hold up with that film as a standalone. With the second installment now available, it absolutely elevates its predecessor. Another mark of great storytelling.
No criticism of pace this time around. The near three-hour run time slipped by quickly. I was ready to rewatch it as I was leaving the theater.
Lessons in Chemistry (2023)
A solid adaptation beautiful on screen
The novel Lessons in Chemistry is one of my favorites. I always have a mix of excitement and trepidation when those books get made into a movie or show but was optimistic about this one.
Despite the changes made, as are always inevitable, I really enjoyed this adaptation! It was brought to life on screen with care. I could feel the meticulous details in the writing of the screenplay the same way I felt them when I read the book. It resonates with the audience well, inspiring hope and the courage to change.
Brie Larson was a solid casting. At times I felt her delivery too stiff or dry (in my mind, Elizabeth Zott had a bit more quirky, ironic comedy to her) but for the most part she did a good job. Her chemistry with Aja Naomi King as Harriet felt palpable and real. One of the more important friendship dynamics I've ever read or seen.
Well done to everyone who worked on this! A really nice offering from Apple TV, very well worth the watch.
Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
Still good but felt more basic than the first
While it was enjoyable to jump right into the action now having established all the characters and their relationships to one another, I still felt something about the plot was a bit lacking. It's probably unfair to this movie that I'm watching it 11 years later and have since been inundated with superhero movies that all follow the same arcs. Likely, "Star Trek into Darkness" would have hit harder and felt more substantial at the time of its release.
With that said, it was still a great space-action film that expands the Star Trek world even further in its film version. It was a good, solid movie from start to finish that invites viewers to watch the third installation of the trilogy.
Bob Marley: One Love (2024)
Every scene feels individual; lacking flow and full storytelling
The acting was good, the scenes regarding the music and the artistic creativity involved in the endeavor were good, and every scene individually was fine.
What this film lacks is actually direction. It felt disjointed and choppy from the very beginning. It was hard to keep straight what was going on and why. The motivations of events were hard to follow, and conflicts appeared and disappeared without a trace. The actual flow and arc were kind of non-existent in this movie.
I felt the scenes between on-screen Bob and Rita and Bob with the band were the absolute strength. There was chemistry there that felt natural and that felt like I was really getting a glimpse into Bob Marley at this period of his life.
It's so close to being a really good movie, but the lack of continuity in the storytelling robs it of reaching the potential.
Star Trek (2009)
Engaging and immersive
Admittedly I've never seen the original Star Trek series, so I'm judging this movie on its own. And what I watched I really, really liked.
I found the story to be engaging and emotional; I was invested from the beginning. Also the special effects for the time were outstanding. 2009 wasn't yet top-tie CGI but they nailed it visually. Really impressive and awesome to watch.
The cast was great and had good chemistry together on screen. I enjoyed everyone's performance. Chris Pine as the lead does a great job of endearing you to James Kirk throughout the course of 2+ hours. Again, I was invested in him from the beginning.
Can't wait to watch the rest of the trilogy! (I'm late to the party, but better than never.).
The Underdoggs (2024)
Movie made for popcorn entertainment; delivers what is promised
First of all, anyone complaining about the language of this movie just wants to complain. It is rated R for language, provides a disclaimer explicitly about language, and it stars Snoop Dogg. So if you want to ignore all three warning signs, that's on you haha.
This is a movie that's good for laughs and entertainment. It is the perfect kind of stupid movie to watch when you want to turn your brain off and just pop some popcorn to have 90 minutes of fun. It's corny and cheesy and yes, extremely profane. I didn't expect anything different from the trailer.
It was incredibly predictable in its format, and some of the jokes didn't exactly land. Some parts were a little clunky and could've been better for the sake of comedy. But overall, it was exactly what it should've been. A fun and raunchy underdog story.
Tetris (2023)
I did NOT see that coming!
First and foremost, hats off the Taron Egerton for his performance in this movie. The accent, the quirks, the emotions, the line delivery were all superb from the opening scene.
This was one hell of a ride. I certainly knew absolutely nothing about the history of Tetris, but even so, I thought I could have a sense of what to expect. Boy was I wrong. What a wild tale that unfolded across two hours! I was fully invested in this story, and while dramatization is a given for movie adaptations, I couldn't believe just everything that went down. I can definitely see why this got turned into a movie!
Well worth the watch. A great production from Apple.
The Family Plan (2023)
Delightful fun
Every time I see the rare unicorn of a movie made nowadays that isn't in the dichotomy we have created of being either a superhero movie/giant action blockbuster or slow burn artful drama, I am enthusiastic about watching and giving it a chance.
"The Family Plan" is great for what it's meant to be; mindless action with family-oriented comedy. It's endearing and cheesy in all the right ways, and Mark Wahlberg with Michelle Monaghan is fantastic! They had great chemistry and played their roles perfectly together.
The biggest thing working against it perhaps is length. This clocks in at 2 hours and a runtime of 1:40 would've likely been perfect.
Worth the watch. Pop some popcorn and go on a lighthearted ride!
Candy Cane Lane (2023)
Mindless fun and laughter with a holiday theme
To be frank, this movie is stupid. But for me it fell on the right side of stupid. It called back plenty of early 2000's family-oriented comedies that hold special places in my heart. Does that element of nostalgia mixed with Christmas cheer beef up my rating? Probably. But I enjoyed it, and movies are for entertainment after all.
Eddie is in classic form as I remember and love him ("Daddy Daycare" and "Haunted Mansion") alongside the loveable and whacky Tracee Ellis Ross who delivers her lines to perfection. Together they make quite a pair.
The plot of this movie is simple enough. It ends up becoming too convoluted and drags on way, way too long. This movie could've been a comfortable 85 minutes instead of over 2 hours. But of course the takeaway is what it always is: Christmas is about family and love above all else. A message that is timeless.
The Burial (2023)
Underrated and underappreciated
This movie is one that six years ago everyone would have seen the trailer for and a good chunk of people would've gone out and seen. Now in the modern age of streaming and abundance (not to mention the abundance of streaming platforms themselves) this movie is likely not known by most, which is sad. These types of lower key, emotionally-driven, strong character acting films are the ones that don't get made much anymore, and this one was a good one.
Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones are dynamite together. Their characters are polar opposites, yet the chemistry between them is pretty damn good. Put together they tell a fascinating story.
This movie veers off a little bit for the better part of the middle, and while it remains interesting, I think it loses sight of the main objective for a bit. It would have been better had it stayed more on course throughout.
Definitely recommend streaming this one. (For the record, I am not against streaming, but it does make me sad to think about movies going under the radar.)
Wonka (2023)
Fun and cute; good not great
The vibrance of "Wonka" is its best asset, along with a lead actor who does a great job with the task at hand. The whacky zaniness of the movie walks a fine line between wholesome and heartwarming to slightly ludicrous. A perfectly fine place for a good, but not great, movie to live.
I wasn't expecting the plot to be quite so detached from reality. You have to suspend a lot of disbelief, which is understandable given the character and the world you're walking into. But sometimes the heart of the story itself lost its footing. The underlying logic of the tale being told, even if whimsical and fantastical, should be grounded in *something.*
As the title says, it was cute and it was fun. It could've been better, but it was an entertaining movie.
The Color Purple (2023)
Wonderful
This cast deserves all the awards, ovations, and praise. Everyone played their parts beautifully and wonderfully. The performances and how good they were can't be overstated. Fantasia is amazing, Danielle steals every scene she's in, Taraji is such a star, Halle Bailey is perfect as well. I would have loved more Corey Hawkins, but what we got of him was great, too.
This script and the way it was brought to life were really great. It was perhaps a bit too long and it took me maybe 10-15 minutes in the beginning to really get into the style of the film, but once I was in I was all in.
Emotional and captivating, highly recommend.
Finch (2021)
A good first half and then disappoints
The first half of the movie was very interesting. I was intrigued by the tech, Tom Hanks' character, I was invested in learning about what happened, and I was prepared to find out where it was going. I was warmed by the premise involving the dog, and I found the production aesthetically pleasing.
But in the second half, things fell off. It turned into Tom Hanks verbally abusing a robot for not knowing things it certainly should not be expected to know. And the robot follows the cliche of having enough emotional range to be meek and lovable and sympathetic but not enough to detect the patterns of "what makes human mad."
Additionally, the story was anticlimactic and never truly went anyway. There was no crescendo of "it's all been leading to this." It's just some close calls but never anything happening for real. Some stories and flashbacks. And then it just ends.
I'd had high hopes for this movie at the start but by the end I couldn't really say I enjoyed it.
Palmer (2021)
Great premise and performances
This was a slow-burn domestic drama that pulls at the heartstrings and touches on tough topics.
Justin Timberlake and the young actor who plays Sam shine bright together with an organic sort of chemistry that feels heartfelt and realistic. I wasn't expecting this to be so emotional going into it, but i was pleased to be surprised by that.
There are a lot of difficult conversations had in this film without being too on the nose. I absolutely loved the nuanced ways with which they were tackled. It didn't feels preachy or false, it felt truly, wholly real. I appreciated the hell out of this script for that.
Well worth the watch.
The Greatest Beer Run Ever (2022)
A very interesting story
If this wasn't based on a true story, no one could've come up with it. It is so obscure and should be so impossible that if someone had even attempted to imagine this plot up, it would be disregarded as far too unbelievable.
But, alas, it was real. And Chickie Donohue was real. And man, was this story worth telling!
I really enjoyed the acting and storytelling that took place in this movie. The chaotic humor and nature of Chickie is endearing and enough to keep a heavy subject light enough that you can watch it without getting too mentally or emotionally bogged down. But, it doesn't omit the reality of the situation that was the Vietnam war. It walks a good balance.
Zac Efron also does a really good job, in my opinion. He portrays the oblivious moments perfectly, the emotional moments with care, and everything in between is believable. Russell Crowe also does a superb job in his role. I loved their scenes together.
The main thing working against this movie for me was that it was a little too long for the subject at hand. It could've been about 20-25 minutes shorter by shaving some things out that felt like they drug things out. Even though I liked it, it lost my attention a couple of times. If you give this a 1 hr 40 minute run time instead of 2 hr 10 minutes, I think it feels more succinct and polished.
Well worth the watch and I would encourage almost anyone to check it out!
Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
Good but could be better
I enjoyed several elements of this film. I thought it was beautifully shot, excellently casted, and that everyone in the cast did a great job with their roles.
The story was intriguing and interesting throughout the movie. I thought the dynamics of everyone on board the train were well acted and well captured. The elementz of mystery and suspense and frustration were all present and entertaining/engaging.
My main problem with this movie is the lack of insight to how Hercule comes to learn all the answers. The big reveal is amazing but the truth is that it is highly implausible, even if you suspend reality a little bit.
I've never read the book, but I would hope (with it being so highly revered and Agatha Christie being who she was) that it is a little bit more believable than how it unfolds in the movie.
All in all it was an entertaining movie with a talented cast and eye-catching production that I'd label as "good."
Haunted Mansion (2023)
Entertaining and much better than I expected
Evidently I am an outlier because I really did enjoy this movie! It was cute and, for what it was, I thought it was well done. I think the cast absolutely nailed it and I enjoyed many elements of the story.
Was it the best movie ever? No it wasn't. But I thought it had a few jump scare moments, lots of good humor and chemistry between the characters, and was all around a fun and enjoyable way to spend two hours. I don't regret working this into my October movie list and watching it on Disney+.
As a Disney kid I also really got a kick out of all the implementations of things from the ride itself. Maybe I'm just easily amused and sentimental, but I would happily rewatch this one in the future!
Elemental (2023)
Beautiful animation and touching story (even if it was predictable)
I have to start by saying this is some of my favorite ever animation by Pixar. It was just amazing to me in every scene, every frame. Hats off to the animators and artists involved. Amazing work.
"Elemental" is a very touching story. Yes it's familiar and predictable, but the characters were so well done that coupled with the beauty of this film, it was impossible not to be swept up in emotion and invested in the outcome. No matter if you could see it coming from a mile away, the sincerity of the struggles, fears, and love were too good not to enjoy.
I can understand some criticism, but feel this movie deserves a lot of credit. It certainly jerked tears from me and will stick with me long after watching!
Gran Turismo (2023)
Electric!
First and foremost the cast of this movie was outstanding, top to bottom. I found myself absolutely head over heals for this story and those who played a part in it. What a totally, completely crazy idea this was. The energy everyone brings to the screen makes it feels as amazing as it really is.
The action and racing were also outstanding. The intensity and adrenaline were palpable throughout the whole movie. Heart pounding moment after heart pounding moment.
There were some elements that felt a bit lacking, like virtually no training and practice scenes once Jann becomes a real racer. He just hops from race to race, and while there are some flashes of the physical training, there is no real proof on the screen of him training racing, just actually competing. It sort of gives the feel that all of this naturally occurs to him. It would've been nice to see drills and practice laps, things like that mixed in. A big deal is also made about how he's less media presentable than other people at the camp but we never see him work on that aspect of things, either. Just some minor details missing that would've made this movie feel like a total 10/10.
GREAT job to all involved! This movie deserves a lot more attention and hype. It was really something fun and heartfelt to behold!!
50 First Dates (2004)
Way funnier and sweeter than expected
First time watching this early 2000's rom com and I wasn't disappointed! I'm very particular on which Adam movies I like, and this one definitely ranks up towards the top.
I didn't expect this movie to be so loving and so sweet. There was a lot of good comedy, but the premise wound up being incredibly genuine and heartfelt. An excellent surprise.
There are some things that didn't age well, but I find those things forgivable in context. And, as usual (for me), Rob Schneider proved to be one of the most successful unfunny guys of the early early 2000's. But his character is enough of a sidenote it doesn't totally ruin anything.
This is one you could watch again and again! Pun intended.