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Romancing the Stone (1984)
Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner's Best Collaboration
Just in general, I like modern movies and comedies more than 80's versions because of style and quality, but Romancing the Stone is one of my favorite 80's comedies. It had the right amount of action to make it interesting but not so much that it disrupted the pacing. The romance was of decent quality, and the adventure was fun. Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner were great together and would lead to 2 more movies in the same decade, but Romancing the Stone was my favorite of the 3. And not to forget Danny DeVito was in all 3, and he was naturally hilarious in his limited screen time, but didn't hog the movie. Romancing the Stone is one of my favorite 80's comedies, and I highly recommend all enjoyers of comedy check it out.
Con Air (1997)
A Surprisingly Good 90's Action Movie
I haven't watched much of Nicolas Cage, but I know enough about his career to know that this is one of his best action movies and movies in general.
Even though action classics from the 80's and 90's are loved, I personally like more recent action movies more. Considering Con Air came out in 1997, it far surpassed my expectations.
I felt bad for Cameron Poe and was anxious just waiting for him to get back to his family. Cyrus "The Virus" was a solid villain with a strong crew that makes you dying to know "how does Cameron Poe walk out of this alive?" Con Air is a good action movie, and unless you're super nit-picky, you are most likely to enjoy it very much.
Anyone But You (2023)
Nothing Special to Hold on to or Take Away
The only reason I watched Anyone But You was because I have slowly come to appreciate Glen Powell. I wasn't expecting much, and I Didn't get much. Just imagine all of the standard rom-com tropes and you will surely be able to spot each one throughout the film. A spark on a first date, the breakup, and the back and forth will-they-won't-they until they come together in the end. "Spoiler" alert, if you didn't already see that coming. I don't know why I gave it a 6, but that's just what it felt like. Anyone But You had its share of good moments, but if Glen Powell or rom-coms aren't your thing, then there isn't much for you here.
The War of the Roses (1989)
A Dark Comedy + Deep Descent Into Madness
The War of the Roses had its laughs, but it did not feel like a comedy. It begins simply enough, with 2 people falling in love and spending several years developing their relationship. But the last 90ish minutes is how the relationship turns sour and the 2 slowly become crazier and madder minute by minute. What made The War of the Roses stand out was how convincing Michael Douglass and Kathleen Turner were, and how every action felt reasonable in the moment but was increasingly absurd when you took a step back to observe. The reason why I gave it a 6 was because it wasn't the most fun movie watch, but it was really good, even more intriguing, and I suggest you watch it too.
Pixels (2015)
Typical Adam Sandler Comedy, Atypical Action
If you've watched multiple Adam Sandler movies, the humor is nothing that you wouldn't expect. But the action based around the premise of Pixels is ludicrous. Aliens attacking Earth in the form of video game characters? Come on, only Adam Sandler can do that and still make it a good watch. The idea of Kevin James playing president of the US furthers my point, and I had no idea Peter Dinklage was like that. There were some moments/scenes that felt kind of rough/dry, but Pixels is a very unique film that was executed well. This is not meant to be looked through a critical lens, so just enjoy it for what it is: stupid that makes you want more.
Grown Ups 2 (2013)
What I Wished the First Grown Ups Would be Like
I knew from the get-go that this one would be different - for the better. Grown Ups 2 completely discarded the dramatic undertone of the first movie and went all in on its outrageous, inappropriate, and childish humor. Grown Ups 2 embraced "boys will be boys" as the cast abandoned all logical constructs of quality film making and created this beautiful masterpiece in the process. I kind of sugarcoated it as it wasn't THAT good (otherwise it would be an 8/10), but it is one of the better comedies of the decade. I loved Grown Ups 2, and anyone else who likes Adam Sandler will be adding a new movie into your top 10. Favorite Sandler films.
Grown Ups (2010)
All-Star Cast Could Have Been Used Better
Grown Ups was unusual about how funny it was while taking on a dramatic tone. The way it was directed, the music, the tone of the characters, and some of the dialogue was consistent with a boring drama, but still was packed full of laughs from start to finish. I wasn't the biggest fan of it and I found the movie overall kind of boring. Grown Ups was funny but lacked excitement or the ability to hold my attention. I was expecting some more outrageous, inappropriate, and stupid giggles that for the most part just weren't there. Grown Ups is solid, but for me it was a misfire. If you have a more mature sense of humor, I see no reason why you wouldn't enjoy this movie.
That's My Boy (2012)
2 of my Favorite On-Screen Comedians did not Disappoint
Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg? You know That's My Boy is gonna be a banger. It is outrageously funny, and the plot wasn't terrible. Adam Sandler was so cringe yet everybody loved him, and Andy Samberg was being completely rational yet being constantly booed. Their chemistry is amazing and you can tell the two of them are best friends off camera. That's My Boy is not a drama, and its attempts merely became generic comedy tropes. The beginning focused around young Donny was wild, and some of the most unusual slapstick content I've seen. The only reason you're watching That's My Boy is for the 2 comedians, so don't try to expect Shakespeare.
Riddick (2013)
David Twohy and the Wheats got it done right
I have nothing but good things to say about Riddick. The first 30-35 minutes by himself were my favorite in the franchise, and I became affectionate to his pet alien killer wolf dog (despite the visuals not being amazing). And when they brought in the 2 ships, all the characters were distinguishable and didn't become waste of space. Riddick dominating the screen with a small cast was how it always should have been. Those scorpion-like aliens were creepy by themselves and then shocking in large numbers. Riddick the movie mimicked Pitch Black between the storm and the eclipse respectively. Riddick was really good, and I hope you have a similar viewing experience.
The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)
Glad Vin Diesel got his own Riddick spinoff
Riddick was a very mysterious character in Pitch Black, and his Chronicles fortunately provided answers but unfortunately made Pitch Black slightly less mysterious. The Necromangers were decent antagonists, but an army just wasn't the correct choice for a Riddick enemy. The Lord Marshal was that singular enemy. For over half of the movie, Riddick was on another planet, which gave us the short but great "teacup" scene. The visual effects were decent, nothing revolutionary, but the action was a step above 80's classics. The Chronicles of Riddick could have been better, but I was not disappointed when I finished.
Kick-Ass 2 (2013)
FIrst is Overrated, Second is Underrated
I don't have much opinions about Kick-Ass 2 or things that I have to say about it. Mindy took the loss of her dad hard; expected and no surprise. Jim Carrey is unrecognizable as Colonel Stars & Stripes, but that helps explain why I liked the character so much. John Leguizamo was enjoyable in his limited screen time. Red Mist wasn't a good villain and just felt like a moody teen who wants his stolen race car back. Kick-Ass 2 was more drama centered, and the protagonists spent a lot more time unmasked. The action sequences were of equal quality and intensity as the first. But the overall stakes felt lower, and the emotion felt a little more forced.
Kick-Ass (2010)
OK, but didn't wow me like it did 590K people
Superheroes with powers is an original idea, but the movie didn't overly impress me. A 7.6/10 with 590 thousand reviews is abnormally high, and I just didn't get it. There was no over the top visuals or effects, a simple plot, not a lot of drama, the stereotypical simple but nothing memorable movie. Nicolas Cage as Big Daddy felt like a batman Mr. Miyagi to Taylor-Johnson's Kick-Ass. Mark Strong is once again a bad guy in a superhero movie, and it played it solidly but wasn't convincing enough to scare me like in other roles. I didn't dislike (after all I gave it a 7) but Kick-Ass didn't seem like all that. Hopefully, you will enjoy it more than me.
Horrible Bosses 2 (2014)
Solid Sequel, But Tried a Little Too Hard
Horrible Bosses 2 definitely got off to a less impressive start than the original. It was still hilarious, but the content underneath the humor felt lacking. This time around they are the horrible bosses achieved unsurprisingly by their ignorance. Christopher Waltz was detestable, and Chris Pine was your worst enemy, then your best friend, rinse and repeat. The next hour of the film is based on a single kidnap attempt and the last half hour is a single ransom drop/exchange, so a lot more time is spent on less crimes than the first. The cons I mentioned earlier continued, as Horrible Bosses 2 became increasingly average. HB 2 wasn't as memorable or original as the first, but it provides quality slapstick humor.
Horrible Bosses (2011)
How not to be a Criminal
If you can think of a way to botch a murder, breaking and entering, or spying, then they did it twice as bad. Horrible Bosses is the funniest movie of 2011 and really high up on the best of the 2010's. The humor was so basic, but even more effective. The trio managed to screw up absolutely everything they did. Julia was frustrating, and I too wanted to kill Bobby and Dave. And despite how hysterical it was, Jamie Foxx still found a way to be quality comic relief. If you're old enough to laugh, you're old enough to watch Horrible Bosses. It's boy's night quality belongs in company with The Hangover, so watching it with your best friends will give you a hell of a night.
Game Night (2018)
Trickery Mastery
The truest quote of the movie: "You won't know what's real and what isn't." I'm not the most perceptive viewer, but Game Night had me guessing the entire movie (the only other movie that always had me second guessing myself was Hypnotic). And yet Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams made Game Night hysterical. Kyle Chandler perfectly portrayed Brooks as that older person who you want to be just like and are so jealous of. There were no wasted minutes or pointless scenes and all of the subplots were tied together seamlessly. Game Night was really good, and I can recommend this to anyone 13+ as this movie can be enjoyed by anyone.
Lights Out (2024)
Blood and Bone, Just Not as Complete
When watching, there was one big similarity to Blood and Bone that was hard to miss. A man takes the underground fighting world by storm (but for different motives) by knocking out their first competitor in one blow. I would have liked Lights Out more if the ending was more compelling. A shoot out climax wasn't the way to go, and this really prevented the movie from being a good action flick instead of a relatively unknown action flick. Lights Out lacked real drive or passion, but I don't think the producers cared about that. If you want to watch a badass beat other people up then you will like this, but there is little more than that.
Race to Witch Mountain (2009)
Mostly Original, Yet Still Feels Generic
Race to Witch Mountain doesn't feel like a Dwayne Johnson movie. It's an action movie where DJ doesn't do much serious action and it's before he started making his classic action-comedies. The vision was there, but there was more work to be done. For a 65 million dollar budget, the special effects could have been better. The children were the real stars of the show. The intergalactic hunter or whatever wasn't intimidating or scary like it should have been. The plot is something I haven't watched before which I liked, but it still felt generic when watching. Race to Witch Mountain isn't a bad movie, I just don't highly recommend it.
The Rundown (2003)
The Movie That Made "The Rock" a Fan Favorite
In only his third movie, Dwayne Johnson made quite the impression in one of the most underrated comedies of the 2000's. The Rundown was way better than I anticipated, and what helped to make it so funny was that all the comedy was done with a straight face. Nearly every humor attempt landed, and there were next to no misfires throughout the whole movie. DJ and Seann William Scott had some of the best chemistry I've ever seen. The way their hate-to-not-hate friendship is like Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson in The Hitman's Bodyguard. Christopher Walken was a detestable bad guy and Rosario Dawson was back and forth. I really liked The Rundown, and I think most people will agree with me.
The Game Plan (2007)
Not One of Dwayne Johnson's Comedic Highpoints
After The Rundown, I expected more from Dwayne Johnson's next comedy. It wasn't a complete dud and had its moments, but lacked the "it" factor that would have made it truly engaging. The superstar-with-surprise-daughter-has-dad-problems-cliche felt like time filler and only dragged the movie down. All of the best scenes were when Dwayne Johnson was with his daughter in the first half of the film or when he was hanging out with his friends. The ending wasn't as climactic as the football game in Gridiron Gang the year before. The Game Plan was an extremely average comedy but little more than that.
Gridiron Gang (2006)
Not One of his Most Entertaining, But Some of Dwayne Johnson's Best Acting
Definitely Dwayne Johnson's best performance in a drama role. Gridiron Gang lacked the entertainment of Red Notice or Jumanji, but Dwayne Johnson's acting was phenomenal. I really can't overstate how compelling he was. I felt his motivation and commitment to the team but was also terrified by his emotion. If Dwayne Johnson didn't become one of the bigger action stars of the past 15 years, he would have become one of the best drama actors of the past 20 years (I love DJ, so I just felt like rambling). Onto something other than DJ, Willie Weathers was a good guy to root for but also frustrated me so much. Most of the characters were likable but also made me want to strangle them myself. And being a (kind of) football movie, every scene on the gridiron was what made the movie not boring.
The Lion King (2019)
A Heavily Underappreciated Live Action Reboot
This was not as good as the original. There was less emotion, and I wasn't on the edge of my seat or eyes glued to the screen wanting to know what would happen next. But this was far from a waste. I didn't mind the changes in voice actors, but Seth Rogen as Pumbaa was by far my favorite. The visuals were nailed down and the aesthetics were far from terrible. Mufasa was as wise as ever, but Scar wasn't as intimidating as his orange-and-black animated counterpart. I've seen some bad reviews about how this wasn't as good as the original, but the original is rated 8.5 (which is REALLY high), so cut it some slack. The Lion King can be fun to watch with family, but this isn't a movie that should be on the top of your watchlist.
7 Days in Hell (2015)
The Greatest Mockumentary. Period.
I liked 7 Days in Hell so much, it convinced me to join my school tennis team (I already have racket sport experience). It was the very first scene that I knew that this was a hit. "On the bright side, it was the world's fastest serve." (insert laughing emojis) If you've never watched tennis before and you're looking for a way to get into it, 7 Days in Hell is "Indubitably" the best place to start. It is some of the funniest 43 minutes I've ever watched and still somehow felt like a documentary. And they got Serena Williams to say a few lines! I truly can not overstate how good 7 Days in Hell is, and I can recommend this to absolutely anyone regardless of how much they like or dislike tennis.
Running Scared (1986)
A Cult Classic Only for Fanboys
Running Scared is a surprisingly little known buddy cop comedy that deserves a little more recognition. The plot can be a little confusing and unclear, and the humor is more advanced/less slapstick, but is absolutely hilarious if you can keep up with it. But for the most part, this movie was forgettable. I found a lot of it was quite generic, and the only reason why I gave Running Scared a 7 is because I am an absolute sucker for genuine comedy. It is a cult classic meant for a small portion of fanboys. If you find yourself in that category, I can assure you that you will be quoting Running Scared for a long time to come.
Battle of the Sexes (2017)
Expected a Tennis Comedy; Got a Gender Equality Genre
I was expecting a casual, lighthearted tennis comedy but got quite the opposite. Battle of the Sexes focused more on slower, more dramatic scenes. It felt weird to see Emma Stone as the best women's tennis player in the world. Steve Carell's Bobby Riggs was the only source of comedy in the movie. Bobby made you like him but also want to root against him at the same time.
Now onto the controversial bit. The men's champ wins 12K and the women's champ wins 1.5K, so BJK wanted equal pay. Obviously, 1st place wins more money than 2nd place because he/she was better. Some people won't like this, but the best men are better then the best women. Women's world #1 beat a man twice her age who didn't practice. An argument could be made for more pay, but equal pay is not reasonable because the men are simply better.
Battle of the Sexes wasn't what I expected, but it wasn't half bad.
King Richard (2021)
Maybe Will Smith's Most Recognition-Deserving Movie
As a pickleball player, I can semi understand and relate to a tennis film. Even though Will Smith is known for action movies like Men in Black or I Am Legend, he has really shown how good of an actor he can be, deserving of his Oscar win.
I can't say I have any knowledge of pro tennis, but I had no idea how prominent Venus Williams was. And I wouldn't have guessed that the Williams sisters grew up playing on shabby, run down courts, making me feel a lot better about myself and my pickleball journey.
There isn't a lot of suspense, and the movie takes place over several years but you have to be paying attention to pick it up. It isn't the type of movie that tickles my fancy, but is undeniably a quality film that should have done better at the box office.