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tick, tick...BOOM! (2021)
Andrew Garfield steals the show
I must address this first... Andrew Garfield was magnificent. It's close, but I do believe this edges out The Social Network as my pick for Garfield's best performance of his acting career. His performance as Jonathan Larson is so deep and just absolutely magnificent throughout the entirety of the film. Very well shot musical numbers, nice cinematography within confined sets.
The film does suffer from some pacing issues and I can find myself getting bored at times between musical numbers, but the narration is captivating throughout the film. The supporting cast does suffer a little bit here too, but I find that it's hard to match Garfield's energy, so I don't find the supporting cast's failure to match the prowess Garfield has on screen to be so poignant. Definitely Lin Manuel-Miranda's best work of cinema.
West Side Story (2021)
One of Spielberg's best films in a while, outstanding musical
West Side Story does just about everything right. The musical numbers, the choreography, the cinematography, all beautiful. A set of spectacular performances, particularly Rachel Zegler. Spielberg directed the quintessential version of West Side Story and one of the best musicals in a very long time.
The only place West Side Story falls short for me is that a lot of the Jets performances fell a little flat for me. Ansel Elgort in particular as Tony just didn't work for me. Aside from that, West Side Story is nothing short of spectacular, and one of the best releases of 2021.
Scream (2022)
Scream's "Re-quel" lacks fun and should only be seen by the biggest of fans
I too love a "re-quel" that opens up and showcases what Scream would look like with smart phones, yet every home in the film still has a landline for some reason!
I'm thoroughly disappointed by this film, but there were definitely some laughs for me. Mainly because the dialogue was so corny. The new young cast disappoints a lot without any memorable characters, and legacy character motives are questionable at times. David Arquette stood out as easily the best performance in the film, but every other actor was fairly weak. Not a lot in this movie makes sense when you give it some thought, which led to a distracting viewing experience, as I was questioning why events were happening more often than I was enjoying the product in front of me. Jump scares were relied on, but predictable at every turn. The action sequences often lacked variety. Most characters were just attempting to shove off Ghostface in every action sequence, and there was little suspense because of it. In every Ghostface encounter, it's a coin flip whether the character gets stabbed or not, then a coin flip whether the relentless stabbing kills them or not, and tension is lacking.
The film constantly points out horror tropes, but the constant breaking of the fourth wall isn't very charming most of the time. If you're a horror fan that wants a movie to poke fun at horror films, just go watch another recent movie like Malignant where it's done much better. I still see potential in the Scream franchise, but this was easily my least favorite Scream film. At least when it's bad, it's laughable, rather than just downright bad. That kept me engaged.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
This movie simply shouldn't have been made.
The positives of the film:
The first shot of Spider-Man in the air, Spider-Man helping a kid in the neighborhood, and Electro was honestly a solid villain.
But oh boy.... there are so many negatives. We return to the plot line of Peter's parents for whatever reason, because that totally had great payoff in the first movie. It returns and becomes even more boring and convoluted. There are three villains with one barely getting any screen time, one shoe horned in out of the ashes for a single fight sequence, and then there's Electro who probably doesn't get enough screen time due to this movie lacking a focus. Gwen and Peter's relationship returns as bland as ever. More importantly, they annoyingly can't decide if they want to be together or not throughout the entire film and constantly break up. It's amazing how an already bad movie can choose to correct so many mistakes in a sequel film, yet adds in even more mistakes to make one of the worst superhero films ever. I genuinely don't know if I've seen a worse superhero film. Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and Jamie Foxx all deserve a much better script. Sony should never touch this universe again.
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
A few redeeming moments, but overall a very weak Spider-Man outing
The Amazing Spider-Man has the framework to become a good movie, but misses when it comes to capitalizing on the opportunity. It's easy to tell that Andrew Garfield is a good fit for the role of Peter Parker, but an uninspiring script greatly limits what he is able to do with the role. Despite this, his charm bleeds through the screen during multiple moments as Spider-Man, particularly in the scenes where he's quipping in the car and the bridge scene.
There are so many bland plot points throughout this film. The worst of which being the unnecessary and unresolved implementation of Peter's parents. Peter's relationship with Gwen is held back with a bunch of boring banter, and Aunt May feels nonexistent throughout the film. On top of all this, Dr. Connors is the worst villain Spider-Man has ever encountered on the silver screen. A few fun moments, but a largely forgettable film.
Licorice Pizza (2021)
Paul Thomas Anderson's Direction and Strong Performances Stand Out in Licorice Pizza
Paul Thomas Anderson's latest film "Licorice Pizza" includes outstanding direction and breakout performances from Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman. Haim in particular stands out with what's easily one of the strongest performances by a lead actress in 2021. Even the supporting roles, although many are minuscule, are very pleasant surprises throughout the film.
Paul Thomas Anderson's usage of long camera shots and great sets help to build the atmosphere of the film. The 1970s Hollywood feeling is a highlight, while also bringing along a youthful charm. The screenplay also has lots of fun lines throughout the film, and doesn't play the audience for a fool like many movies do. From scene to scene, it's easy to track what's happening without blatantly explaining it to the audience, but the audience is kept guessing.
Where Licorice Pizza falls flat is in some of the character moments. Sometimes it's questionable why Gary and Alana are drawn to each other throughout the film, and it's unclear what character motivations are, especially for Gary. Also, the age gap between Gary and Alana gets very distracting sometimes, and can detract from the viewer's immersion in the film. I seriously struggle to see why Gary couldn't have just been 18. It wouldn't have affected his character in the slightest, and would've helped keep me immersed during some scenes.
Licorice Pizza is definitely a film worth recommending to anyone who loves witty dialogue, great atmosphere, strong acting performances, and a film with a wide array of fun characters.
A Journal for Jordan (2021)
Michael B. Jordan Shines in an Endearing Story About Military Families
Denzel Washington's directorial debut wasn't a film that will knock your socks off, but you're bound to be entertained by a solid screenplay that highlights different relationships military families must experience. The film does a great job of capturing the emotion of many different situations that happen throughout the movie.
Michael B. Jordan was excellent as Charles. I genuinely believe that this was right up there with Fruitvale Station and Black Panther as one of his best performances ever. Jordan displayed grace, heroism, discipline, and a nurturing heart. He steals many scenes throughout the movie.
Where "A Journal for Jordan" falls flat is that at times, the screenplay gets a little messy, and the visuals in this film aren't very memorable. When it comes to the screenplay, sometimes dialogue can be basic, and focus can be lost on Jordan, which can make this film feel as if it leans towards being a somewhat dull romance flick at various points. The visuals throughout the film also leave a lot to be desired, as no set pieces stand out and the film struggles to build much of an atmosphere outside of Dana's apartment.
I would recommend this movie to audiences who love romance flicks, good stories about family, and those who are or are closely connected to war veterans.