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Borderlands (2024)
Bordering On Boredom, Bland, and Botched Material:
LIKES:
References
Funny At Times
Some Good Action At Times
Liked Some Of The Graphics
Acting Was Okay
I Enjoyed Jack Black
Summary:
A video game movie requires a lot of creativity, respect, and fan service all blended into a winning combination that makes a movie iteration worth it. For me, the movie accomplishes some of these things to varying degrees that gain some points. Though it doesn't match the style of the games, the movie does a nice job bringing the local fauna to life, with smooth movement and good textures enough to establish the dangers of the Pandora frontier. Most of the other things requiring CGI use do it mostly well, only stumbling a few times when things got a bit too hectic. The costumes look a tad like advanced cosplay, but they work to represent the characters of the series and help make sure you know who is who. The action also matches some of the chaos known in the Borderland series, quirky gunplay with ridiculous banter as you face hordes of hostile figures. Those moves have those impressive finishing moves and had some of the people hollering in delight. Comedy the movie is mainly the focus of the movie, bombarding you with relentless insults, one-liners, banter, and aggressive dialogue that is much like the writing of the game (though curtailed for a lighter rating). Regardless, the movie is going to do everything to try and make you laugh, and in some ways, it succeeded in having me chuckling at the execution of the lines. Acting-wise, the movie is okay, not really the most invested or curtailed, but fine enough to play these diluted versions of the characters. Blanchett feels in her element as the bounty hunter with a chip on her shoulder. She delivers the attitude well, her sarcasm the best of the bunch alongside the heart of her character. Hart tones down the screaming for the most part but is still all about the reaction comedy which is fine but doesn't sparkle as much in this particular film. And Ramirez is fine, a bit eccentric, and perfect for a Borderlands villain, he just needed more time than he got to help give him more than a comedic boob approach. Jack Black as the yammering robot was a welcome addition, and he was the one I had the most fun with, even if he did not get the character completely right. His styles were the most dynamic, his lines very fun and not entirely stuck on one gimmick that the others get caught in. However, I have to say my favorite part was finding how many references from the games I could find, which they managed to obtain with okay accuracy.
DISLIKES:
Plot Is A Mess
Character Direction Isn't Too Good
Annoying
Boring
Trying Too Hard To Be Funny
Most Actions Scenes Are Bland
Factions Felt Wasted
Not Much To Invest
Summary:
My dislikes start with a weak story that suffers several challenges in pacing, depth, and balance which many great stories thrive on. I know this is Borderlands, but the games have much deeper lore and character to them that this movie doesn't seem to capture in my eyes. It's scattered, shallow, and takes shortcuts to try and cram everything below two hours. It's predictable and lacks that authentic character development I liked to help me invest in the characters and their little band of brothers. There are moments, but they are fleeting, shoving any character growth for more jokes and antics that sometimes are too much for me and grow annoying. When the action scenes start to become repetitive, and the finale falls flat for any wow factor, the movie continues to disappoint which no amount of style and jokes can make up for. As several reviewers have said, the movie's characters also feel like they aren't quite cast well, at least to the full extent. Roland is a tad too goofy and spastic, Tina's missing that cartoonish voice and pitch that makes her dancing adorably annoying, Lilith is missing that cool hipster vibe with honor, and our quirky scientist has become more awkward than anything else. Alongside mundane factions and bad guys, so much of Pandora's group feels half-baked and quite disappointing given the potential the games have made. To sum all this up, the movie just felt boring and contained in a game series that is all about not doing such things.
The VERDICT:
Borderlands is not the biggest train wreck, but it's a movie that needs a lot of tuning up, development, and studying to execute the project to full capacity. Certainly, there are some things for fans in this film, enough references, comedy, and gunplay to be distracting with visuals that aren't too bad. However, the movie struggles to unleash the full Borderlands effect and resulted in a boring movie that feels like it never gets to the point. It tries too hard to be funny. It lacks any investment in characters, alongside fight scenes that feel so mundane and lackluster. In my opinion, this film should have been animated, and even more so should have been a series rather than a movie. Netflix has proven they can do wonders with animated shows, and Borderlands could be the next series that could benefit from their attention. My scores for this movie are:
Action/Comedy/Fantasy/Science Fiction/Video Game: 5.5
Movie Overall: 5.
It Ends with Us (2024)
It Certainly Ends
LIKES:
Beautiful Atmosphere
Fantastic Acting
Great Setting To Play In
Handles the Material Tastefully
Liked the Transition Points
Pacing Is Good
Emotionally Fulfilling
DISLIKES:
Sort of Underwhelming
Feels A Bit Scattered
Pace Gets Uneven
I Feel There Was More To Be Told
The Ending Is Mixed For Me
The VERDICT/Summary
A story like this will be one of reflection, inner beauty, and some spiritual lifting that will be an anchoring point for the audience. Baldoni's direction accomplishes a lot of the latter, unleashing a torrent of beauty in the movie's atmosphere in cinematography, sound editing, and design. Fantastic acting by the leads with good writing helps to emphasize the strength that comes from trials, utilizing both verbal and nonverbal styles to convey the suffering that arises with trauma such as this. Lively in particular just handles things with such class, working with the book's story to handle the material tactfully, even though there were more avenues to explore regarding domestic violence. The rest of the cast accomplishes much, Slade being supportive but silly, while Baldoni plays his antagonistic role with confidence, build, and believable behaviors of such an abuser. I found the pacing good, the transitions between past and present helping to break up the story into elements that are slightly happier with their young cast acting solidly to explain Lily's story. Together, all of this combines into a movie that is very emotionally fulfilling and left many in my showing crying at the spectacle they witnessed. Though I might be a robot, I have to give my nods for the poetic journey they took us on in the two-hour runt time.
For the spiritual grace success, the story however took hits for me in this movie. I have not read the book, but I feel much of the content was lost in the translation to the silver screen. Despite a good pace, the movie does feel uneven at times, dragging during the setup moments only to quickly fly over the intense moments. I felt a bit robbed that some of those challenges seemed overcome and simplified in this film, never truly feeling the struggle that comes with such moments in life. Much of the transitions were good for me, but then sort of petered off with the memories at the end practically gone, and very disappointing to not see more with the build-up from the earlier moments. The organization also felt a bit scattered at times, with a linear story to follow, but at the same time inconsistently executed and felt difficult to perfectly outline everything in their lives that a book has so much more time to organize. Again, I could follow the story for the most part, but it did not have the full kick and emotion that this movie so amazingly captured. So many events just sort of happened within the confines of the movie runtime, especially at the end, which felt too hasty, underwhelming, and a tie-off that again made me feel cheated.
Overall, the movie was fine for me, enough beauty and emotional fortitude that a night out with a group of friends, a girls' night, or some sort of church/organization meeting would be the ideal audience for a theater visit. Though, in terms of story, the book is most likely the avenue to take to get the full impact of this taxing tale and content. From all of these components, my scores for the movie are:
Drama/Romance: 7.5
Movie Overall: 6.5.
Harold and the Purple Crayon (2024)
Harold and The Cute, Okay Adventure
LIKES:
Cute
Charmingly Funny
Good Lessons
Loved the Imagination
Feels Like a Kids Book Coming to Life
Fun Music
Zachary Levi
DISLIKES:
A Little Too Kiddy
Odd At Times
Zooey Deschanel
Trying To Be Something Wow and Coming Off Bland
Moved Too Quickly
Summary
Harold and the Purple Crayon is a sequel to the beloved book that somehow is just as charming as the piece of literature. A fantastic and fun movie for families, it holds charming comedy, innocent jokes, and a few adult jokes that are easily G-rated to make this enjoyable for all ages. This sequel takes all of the innocence of the movie and unleashes it onto the real world and in doing so provides plenty of lessons for the world to review and hopefully learn. That heartfelt presentation adds this quaint and enjoyable tone, only amplified by the feel-good music that accompanies many of the "epic" bouts of crayon catastrophe. The imagination of the film is intense in terms of that elaborate wildness of youth and I loved how much they mirrored the inner spirit of a child in the way the drawings transitioned into the items they "semi-resembled". For me, Levi is the star of the show though. Like so many of his roles, he just has a way of unleashing his full potential into the role, giving it this odd man-child that is enjoyable rather than sad or annoying. When combined with the others, he manages to bring a dynamic portrayal of the character without seeming to try too hard.
If only the full imagination was unleashed in this film. A magical purple crayon can create a lot of magic, but it didn't quite craft the masterpiece I think they were shooting for. The innocent humor stays a little too juvenile in tone, lacking the finesse, breaks, and planning that I like in my PG-rated films. The odd humor and awkward styles are perfect for laughs, but in terms of the perfect movie are missing some of the composure that I've seen in other films. Deschanel didn't do much for me outside of a few laughs and some sparkling piano work but feels very underutilized as the source of sarcastic jokes and antagonism to Harold's optimism. And with a short run time and presenting so many things, I think the movie fell flat in terms of standing out as that awesome movie of the year. And though there are some great finishes and a narrative that holds a few heart-tugging lines... it still falls short of the gold for me.
Thus, with all the factors coming in, my recommendation is to catch this one at home with the family to optimize your time and money. As for the scores, here they are:
Adventure/Animation/Comedy/Family/Fantasy: 7.0
Movie Overall: 6.0.
Trap (2024)
A Trap Of Lots of Genre Elements Means Mundane Thrills and Decent Drama
LIKES:
Decent Pacing Until The End
Funny At Times
Decently Planned Out Well
Good Numbers
Some Decent Character Moments
Unnerving Portrayal of Serial Killer
The Artistic Pokes At Society
Acting is Not Half-Bad
Summary:
Shyamalan is a master of artistic prowess in the thriller setting in his approaches to twisting a tale to be semi-realistic and fantasy at the same time to meet this balanced theatrical display. And to an extent he still accomplishes this direction, adding his artistic elements, wit, and unique storytelling devices to have Trap ensnare the audience. This film is more toned down from his other works but still has that unnerving edge at times in this portrayal of a serial killer. The use of cameras adds this psycho, semi-first person perspective that holds elements of being invested in the movie as people converse with "The Butcher". Shyamalan has integrated it into the film too, this flirtation with the monster illustrating the current nature of the world in various points that are hysterical and yet almost as terrifying as the monster we are watching exploit it. Now add the character development moments, certain qualities that work their way in to help touch base with the people surrounding our lead's character and you get an infusion of moral testing. Much of it felt natural to me, not too forced or preachy, but rather integrated into the mind of the mad hunter. However, there are moments where certain characters get a tad more power and focus than I expected, perhaps in a bout of nepotism. Acting wise it's not half bad as well. Pill's part comes very late in the movie, and at times gives this incredible display of emotions that a movie like this requires. Mills is fine when she is on, that same accent, poise, and narrator quality are always enchanting as she tries to coordinate the case. As for Hartnett, not the most engaging serial killer, but I liked how he seemed to mesh with the direction of this film. He feels very much in character with this complicated role and I think he did a great job handling the demands of the gauntlet this movie's story is.
As for the rest of the movie, it's entertaining, to say the least. The comedic undertones help to relieve the darker material, yet not overtake it in some tug-of-war between genres. Surprisingly the movie taps into the concert element outside of just the venue to spring the trap. Saleka is talented in her acting (for the most part), with much of her work being this singing sensation that is enchanting the masses in this stadium (perhaps a representation of Taylor). Anyway, some of the songs are fun and toe-tapping, and the spectacle may be simplified and boxy, but it works in many ways to entertain, with a beautiful voice to match. Yet the most impressive element is that Shyamalan has managed to plan the tale well, giving realistic elements, plans, and moves that someone of a serial killer caliber thrives in, thus adding more to the profiling mentioned above. It was smart, it was diverse, and optimized the concert stadium well to help in this cat-and-mouse journey they were taking.
DISLIKES:
The Camera Approach
Too Much Concert
Bait of Suspense
History Semi-Lacking
Flatter Characters
The Pacing At The End
More Hayley Mills
Too Much Suspense of Disbelief?
Summary:
However, the movie still has some areas of improvement for me that rob the spectacle promised in the trailers. For one thing, that artistic camera approach comes off corny at times, with elements that take this constant back and forth that get annoying and excessive when there might have been better ways to portray the terror. In addition, that concert element I mentioned sometimes seemed to take precedence, with the daughter again the focus a tad much without the character driving components until the end where her involvement took some leaps and bounds. Characters also come off a tad flatter than I had anticipated, some potential meat to the story reduced to background lingo and legends rather than actually diving further into the origins and motivation behind him becoming this monster. Sure, some elements are explained as some people just being evil, but it feels like an easy out that is not usually his wheelhouse. Mills also feels ill-used and I would have liked to have seen more planning, integration, and involvement as she adjusts the battlefield to try and corner our serial killer. That would have helped add suspense, thrills, crime elements, and horror to the film which may have compensated for the shallower characters. Yet, this movie was very much a bait of suspense and horror that I didn't find present, nor was there anything remotely close to my expectations outside of the first thirty minutes. Finally, some times seemed to call on great suspense of logic, disbelief, and planning to the point of annoying plot conveniences. Sure, there are some smoothing of reality components that can be understood, but the farther you get to the end, the more you see those leaps to the point that the story gets a tad too fantasy, serving little more than bloating the pacing of the movie. Sure, I like the outcomes and the message, but there seemed better ways to go.
The VERDICT:
Trap is a movie that feels like one part Lifetime Drama and one part Law And Order. The combination works and is an entertaining piece, using a unique venue and some cunning story planning from the mind of a serial killer. Its easier content allows this to be watched by many, and having that wit and less blood made this movie more enjoyable from the mind element and ingenuity of these types of people. Throw in fun comedy at the state of the world/society and the artistic lengths he takes in presentation and you again get a dramatic film that should be fascinating to watch to some degree. However, if you are going in here for the next X or Slasher film, then you won't quite get that itch scratched in this film. Shyamalan's tale is a bit too artistic in my books, focusing more on concert, talking, and drama than the actual thriller part. Its character usage, the balance of concert to crime, and the pacing all take dips or are lacking alongside the thrills and chills that a serial killer film is supposed to bring. Though I liked the direction at times, flat characters and a mundane level of thrills mean this movie becomes a slog at times and loses the building potential from the earlier parts of the film. Finally, the extent of disbelief gets a tad too much at times and I would have liked to see that same intelligence and character usage from early on survive until the end of the film. Worth a trip to the theater? Hmmmm, only for those looking for a night out for a fun drama. Otherwise, this feels perfect for Apple or Paramount to hold and present.
My scores are:
Psychological thriller/Serial Killer/Crime/Horror/Mystery/Thriller: 6.5
Movie Overall: 5.5.
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Teaming Up To Leave Me Dead From Laughing So Hard
LIKES:
Great Pace
Funny
Still Deadpool
References Galore
Acting
Excellent Soundtrack
Surprising Heart At Times
Story Is Okay At Times
Excellent End Credits
Action Sequences Still Hold That Charm/Skill
Summary:
If you have seen the Deadpool movies, you know they are about fun, frenzy, and fast-paced antics that the red-clad antihero brings. Teamed up with his X-men "buddy". The pace is just as fierce and fun (if not more) as they go about their quest of handling the MCU/Fox merger and more. The whole thing is loaded with comedy, antics, dialogue, slapstick and more all unleashing the full comedic prowess of Deadpool that is still in your face, but curtailed with the rugged bluntness of Wolverine. Reynolds and his team of writers, alongside Levy's direction, read the Internet, the movie problems, and wrapped the tale into nearly 130 minutes of hilarity I've been missing in superhero movies. They poke fun at everything, willing to cross the lines in true Deadpool fashion to leave this love letter to everyone in that charismatic way. It's loaded to the nines with references to so many aspects of Marvel movies and for fans/geeks like me, I enjoyed finding everything I could from the comics, movies, and more (alongside the jabs that were being thrown with it).
Yet, the movie is not just about the comedy and stammering lines Reynolds has proven a master at crafting. Deadpool and Wolverine have still more surprises and mastery to give you more to this film for fans to enjoy. The soundtrack is still incredible, surpassing so many of the other movies not just in variety, but the use of these songs in ways that most would shy away from adding that fresh factor people seem to crave. The movie is eighty percent buddy-hero comedy, yet it still holds some of Marvel sentimentality to give our two guys some heart and depth that serves to ground some of the exploits that marrie an okay story without impeding on the Deadpool schtick. And the action proves with the right amount of planning, studying, and potentially removing some of the "violence" limits, you can create some of the best fight sequences that somehow stand out in the Marvel Universe. Even the end credits have this iconic balance, not elevating the story, but doing something better that plays right to the strengths of our two leads. And while a lot of this is on the writing, direction, and design team, I have to give it to the two leads for giving it their all to make this movie what it is as well. Corrin's billing deserves a nod, playing her role with the same gravitas as another Marvel counterpart, and injecting other elements that make such a fascinating piece to this complex puzzle. Jackman comes back to Wolverine and seems to have not skipped a beat in the rugged antihero ready to claw his way back to the universe. He's a perfect Yin to Ryan's Yang, crafting this straight-to-the-point, concise, no-nonsense attitude that helps to shut the mercenary up when needed. And Reynolds has pretty much never left the character, only this time bringing even more fire to the role as his character has permission to rebel against the very trends the studios conjure up. Together, the two make this dance of dynamic, dastardly, derogative deeds that remained entertaining the whole way through and was a pair-up that I am very happy to have witnessed.
DISLIKES:
Plot Is Not The Strongest
Super Violet/Aggressive/Crude
Sometimes Too Stupid
More Time Needed For Some Aspects
Very Reference And Other Series Heavy
So many Characters That I Wanted More Time/Development
SUMMARY:
The film is incredible on many accounts, but there are going to be some things to mention that might be considered warnings/dislikes depending on your personal feelings. For one, the plot is not the strongest. While certainly not the worst thing to be put together/recrafted, the third installment has a tale that tries to be deep, but comes off as weird, inconsistent, and kind of pointless given everything else happening in the universe. Those hoping it's going to give you full-on glimpses into the direction of the coming Marvel Phases, or looking for that respect towards an arc that will blow your mind need to lower the expectations now. In standing on its own, the self-contained tale is enjoyable, but I can also appreciate the desire to get Marvel back on a fun plot that made Phases 1-3 so enjoyable. My friend and I agreed as well that Deadpool's excessiveness can be hard to swallow, and the third installment doesn't buffer much in the ways of violence and crude displays of debauchery. Those with sensitive ears, sensitivity to very vulgar language, and stomachs not attuned to bloody violence will need to stay away from this movie and the red that essentially floods the screen at all times. In addition, any who don't tolerate ludicrous levels of silliness, ridiculous asides, and banter that could match any monologue fifty times over, should sit this one out. I agree the excess gets a tad much for me at times, but the variety this film brought distracted me from it enough for this to be less of a dislike than it could have been. Where tapering could have been a boon was in curtailing the antics so that we might get more time with characters and stories. Deadpool has a lot of characters who play pieces given everything this film pulls from, and two hours did not give remotely enough time to get the most out of them. Did they serve their purpose and have memorable moments? Sure, but there was so much that could have been done, primarily with Cassio's character. I can't say too much as that would be spoiling. My friend also did not enjoy how reference-heavy the movie was, and I can agree that, unlike other installments, this movie leans very heavily on a lot of cultural knowledge for this very convoluted plot. Again, no spoilers, but fans who know about the politics behind the movies, the pre-MCU days of the franchise, and Deadpool's other films (alongside heavy comic references) will thrive the most, while others may be overwhelmed, confused, and bored by the comedic directions this film takes at some point. Fortunately, Deadpool & Wolverine have enough to mitigate this, but again a limitation for the overall audiences.
THE VERDICT:
Deadpool & Wolverine had a lot of things to accomplish, and for this reviewer... they certainly achieved much of what I wanted. Overall, the movie is fun and a solid entry into the Merc With a Mouth's installments that excels at so much of what makes Deadpool his signature anti-hero. The comedy alone is enough to lavish over this movie, but the wit, the action, the surprising heart at times, and the acting make this movie fun. It takes the elements of the MCU I enjoyed in the past, but yet puts that modern twist to defend against the trends and Internet to make a movie that isn't hindered by the world's current preferences. And to give me action and comedy, with some drama, looped in, is a success that a reviewer/fan like me can get on board with. However, it is still excessive, and Deadpool's darker plot lines and gimmicks are more NC-17 than R in the ratings department. Those not ready for the gore, cursing, crude dialogue, and darker elements will not enjoy a film of this caliber, nor will those looking for the advancement of the MCU and X-men franchises that we still await in 2025. It also tries to do so much in a little time and relies heavily on one's knowledge of a lot of things to fully appreciate this homage to the Marvel empire. While fans like me will revel in delight, others without the knowledge may find themselves bored or confused to the level of disliking this movie compared to the other Deadpool entries. From all this, my scores are:
Buddy Comedy/Superhero/Action/Adventure/Comedy/Sci-Fi: 8.5
Movie Overall: 7.5-8.0.
Twisters (2024)
Twisting Charm, Fun, Thrills, and Visuals Into a Simple Summer Smash
LIKES:
Decent Pace
Attempts At Science
Some Okay Character Developing
Fun Jokes
Some Heart To The Aftermath
Good Acting
Impressive Visuals And Modernization
Summary:
The first Twister was a film that managed to mix a lot of things into a great storm of character and storm chasing. Twisters manages to keep the pace right for me, fast for the exciting thrills of the profession, but not so fast to not give our leads time to engage and develop. In this adventure, the writers have incorporated plenty of scientific talk, displays, and principles to inspire, impress, and make a "believable" story that gives a little more intelligence than many of the modern-day disaster tales. Such feats give a direction and purpose while helping to extend both characters pact the stereotypes their looks might generate, and for a geek like me, such Science Fiction isn't too eye-rolling in the scope of the tale. I enjoyed the characters, feeling the three leads get some decent time to expand their roles and help give their characters more bite than I had expected, especially Edgar-Jones and Powell who have a fun relationship for much of the film. The acting only further brings the characters to life, Ramos somehow bringing the emotional smoldering of In The Heights alongside the emotional complexities his character finds himself ensnared. Yet it's the leads of Edgar-Jones and Powell who are stealing the show, with tight chemistry that has this realistic and natural flow of two sharp weather fans finding their place in the changing climate. Snappy comebacks, playful teasing, rivalry for getting that scoop, and more unfold with a balanced grace that might be cheesy at times, but for the most part, is enjoyable and certain to check the box for a variety of fans. They deliver their lines with wit and fun, (though the secondary characters are going to deliver most of the funny jokes and knee-slapping antics). Yet, most of what I mentioned is going to be blown away by the visuals and special effects that modern technology has bestowed. Twisters is a movie of prowess, generating beautiful storms, chaotic swells, and gigantic gusts of gargantuan power that look to model the pictures and images science has collected. It fully immerses you in those tense moments and conveys the terrifying force of nature that Twisters are and what they can leave behind. Chung's direction has accomplished much with it, from the opening sequence to the final moments that further reinforce how nature is not to be toyed with or underestimated. Even the aftermath offers a stab at the aftermath, adding heart and sustenance to stroll alongside the character development.
DISLIKES
Predictable
Love Story A Bit Forced At Times
Waste Of Characters and Cast At Times
Lacking Suspense For Much Of The Movie
Too Much of the Old?
Summary:
Now comes the dislikes for me. Twisters is good, but it still suffers a bit from some story and edge elements that modern times seem to continue to dull. It's a predictable tale, but the similarities to the first film are a bit too close that some fans may isolate or boycott it because of the unoriginality. Nostalgia kept me in, but the movie would have been good to throw a few more things in to assist the tale and throw in some surprises to mix things around a little. One component is the secondary characters and antagonists being far less utilized, a bunch of potential personalities that could have added some new elements and dynamics to invest my time in pursuing. Several of the talented actors felt a bit underutilized and in doing so turned the focus too much on the three top-billed leads. As a result, the movie also struggled to fully maximize the stakes on the characters when the events happen, dulling the experience a bit that could have helped increase the enjoyment and edge that I like in these movies. Perhaps it's the relationship story that steps in the way, a bit more Hallmark than the first one. While this may be engaging and lovely for the fans who like this element, the movie needed to balance a little more excitement into the mix and the potential fear of loss to help event the stakes and make the moments more memorable. It is too much of the old? Yeah, I think at times it does have that familiarity and a lot of the same elements, but... it's not horrible enough to be the full discord that some might not enjoy.
The VERDICT:
Twisters accomplished much for me regarding its popcorn blockbuster movie of the summer. Like most of the summer films I've enjoyed, it's entertaining and holds a lot of elements to engulf the audience in a familiar tale, but fresh given the times and holds a lot of simplicity that movies enjoy. Chung's direction and modern technology have unleashed some of the best graphics to bring you into a storm and certainly offer you a more scientific approach to the disaster movie era. With likable leads, a relevant plot focus, and plenty of exciting storm moments, this film certainly has theater visit written all over it, and potentially with the Imax experience for the stormy elements. Yet, the film's predictability and ties to the first movie don't help to add that fresh element to the tale, nor does the downgrade of character utilization for a relationship story that might make this movie less engaging or fun given the strong front they were building in the first thirty minutes of the film. For me, the movie is fun and worth the time, and for my scores I grant Twisters:
Action/Adventure/Thriller: 7.5-8.0
Movie Overall: 7.0.
Longlegs (2024)
Incredible Visuals And Production Value May Not Make This Long Legged Crine Worth The Time
Likes:
The Filter
Artistic Factors Add Creepiness
Cage
The Main Character
The Mystery/Crime Element
The Music Adds So Much Atmosphere
The Runtime To A Degree
The Acting
Summary:
Perkins has done some great work with fashioning a horror-crime film. Longlegs is eerie, to say the least, a film equipped with many elements that elevate the level of discomfort this tale brings to the audience. The camera work alone is enough to make the air heavy from the gravity of darkness crafted in this film. Filters establish that grey overcast feeling to rob the daylight of safety, while the shadows of indoors and night threaten to swallow you up in the unrelenting hold. Visions lit in ominous reds encroach the material, giving a subliminal attack that further peels away any hope as the cases continue to pile up. A matching orchestra score provides further tones of horror, piercing cries of stringed instruments accompanying low pitches that seem to moan as Lee further uncovers clues. Perkins brings that independent artistic flair to the mix, odd, weird, and less-played that helps maximize the terror in the simplest and most horrifying ways. To take something as benign as a toy and turn it into something so soul-torturing that you may never look at it the same way again. Tying all of this together with the elements of mystery and crime adds a layer of realism that makes this movie all the more terrifying in how grounded it can be. Such presentation is rare, and one of the most gripping components of this film.
Story and acting-wise, the movie feels like a crime special wrapped with some Lifetime and Shudder elements. It might not have CGI or eccentric costumes for the most part, but again that realism with enough paranormal elements integrates the horror elements quite to a degree I feel many fans of the genre will appreciate. The main character has a tale semi-shrouded in mystery, with enough clues to establish something is off, but ambiguous enough to seek the answers to the mystery. Lee's character may not be the most unique or deep, but there is still enough quality to follow her in this case. Monroe's acting goes well with the tone of the movie, monotone and cold of someone with such circumstances weighing them down. She is a strong lead and I'd only wished there was more emotion to help that wasn't limited to the story. Underwood is a strong secondary character, his antics well documented with that cop ruggedness, but still etched with lines of caring. But it is Cage that most in my showing seemed to enjoy the most. He plays the character Longlegs, and the man continues to pull his oddities to new levels as he makes the man's insanity so spine-chilling, uncomfortable, and penetrating during the film. His laugh, his movements, and his smile (alongside the movie makeup and elements) are a memorable antagonistic performances. Sure, he shares elements with other characters, but Cage adds his nuances to help make Longlegs an entity of his own that meshes well with the film's presentation style and direction.
DISLIKES:
Needed More Suspense For Me
Very Dark Material That Is Too Real
Not Sure If I Really Like The Twist
The Pacing At Times
More Character Development
Caution With Religion Sensitivity
Too Artistic:
Summary:
Yet, Longlegs' direction may also be the biggest limiting factor for me as well, primarily in the storytelling approach that Perkins took. The film's atmosphere works for me, but the tale lacks some things that would have helped me enjoy the film more, and perhaps not limit it to such a niche as well. The main element is that the movie lacks some of the blockbuster appeal to me, primarily in character development/usage and suspense. Longlegs character has some elements to her, but I felt there was more to her story that could have transpired or been unraveled. Agent Carter's involvement was good to start as well, but his "evolution" felt very sporadic, forced and at times too random and hasty to reach the pinnacle. Several other characters, including Longlegs, would have been nice to discover more elements about, and not just accept the psychopathic stipulations that they chose to give them. In addition, I like my murder mystery elements to have a bit more stakes, edge, and close calls to it, as this helps offer some reprieve from the drawl that some artistic presentations choose to do. Instead of having more sequences of moaning music and flashes of the same visual piece, offering a few more cat-and-mouse elements would have done better for audience members like me. Throw in that the darkness of the material only further slows the pacing, and these divergent shots become annoying, stale, and pointless when other elements could have taken place. In addition, the revelation and finale did not feel worth the wait, another artistic direction that is not only dark but also a bit out of left field and rushed with that famous blunt cut-off that I particularly do not like. At this point, I issue caution with those who are sensitive to flashing and even more to those of religion, as this movie crosses both and may be devoid of any enjoyment for the plot elements they take. If this potential blasphemy with this very "unique" presentation sounds unappealing, then I encourage you to skip the film and not risk subjection to this serial murder.
The VERDICT:
Longlegs is a movie that certainly holds elements of nightmare-inducing, mind-shocking, and psychotic level of cinema that I've seen in a long time. The presentation is by far intriguing in terms of the environment and cinematography that instills the foreboding emotion that I think Perkins was going for in this film. It's got intrigue and mystery, an ominous darkness, and a true horror element in the way Longlegs works, continuing to bait the viewers to commit to the film and seek the outcome. With strong acting and some characters who stand out, this film is testing new elements to help itself stand out. Nicholas Cage also steals the show again, as his character Longlegs is another dark jester who will entertain in the courts of dark lore. And while many of these risks are rewarding, unique, and visually satisfying, it also hindered the film for me a bit. The artistic sequences of repetitive imaging and Passover shots do little to entertain me or find a point. I would have liked more characters and cat-and-mouse games that serial killers play to build suspense for the lackluster finale. In addition, the dark elements, religious material, and the realism I've mentioned are going to be tough for some people and I warn again to avoid this film if such things might be too disturbing. Thus, this artistic film is one I encourage for a home viewing unless you are a fan of these independent films.
My scores are:
Crime/Horror/Thriller: 7.5 - 8.0
Movie Overall: 6.0.
Fly Me to the Moon (2024)
Over The Moon In fun
Likes:
Decent Pacing
Good Acting
A Fun Relationship
Awesome Immersion Factors
Decent Character Development
Cute
Fun Drama With A Science Twist
Witty At Times
Good Balance Of Characters And Elements
Summary
A hybrid movie such as this is very concerning for potentially being too much in one movie, but Fly Me To The Moon managed to do something with the combination. Berlanti's work is a very cute and fun movie that manages to take a very divided subject and turn it into a cushioned and comfortable tale with a lot of heart and quality entertainment components. For fans like me who love a good portal back in time, this film accomplishes the goal of bringing us back to the 1960s during the pinnacle Space Race years. The cars, the fashion, the office settings, and the technology are recreated to have that old-world sheen; with the exception of a few pieces that maintain their modern look. A fantastic cast makes this movie even more of an enjoyment, becoming a supporting pillar for the tale and somehow juggling all the directions into a coherent drive toward the ultimate goal. Harrelson is pretty much Harrelson, a character that is one part cocky wit and one part imposing personality whose tone makes for a good "antagonistic" force to push the tale. Tatum surprised me a bit with this role, managing to pull together a fun rom-com movie with a little more heart and soul than some of his other parts in the past. I had fun following him, despite a few slip-ups and still not quite having the full punch that other actors might have had. Finally, Johansson's acting is the one going over the moon for this reviewer, a stellar blend of comedy, vulnerability, and drive that makes for a very engaging character with incredible chemistry with all the other groups and a spectrum of talents she brings to the mix.
Aesthetics and acting aside, the movie has a good entertaining pace as the three story arcs sort of take off together toward the stars. It's a fun perspective to watch how Apollo 11 came to life from the angle of a public relations officer and see the adventures that may or may not have happened. There are fun relationships, including the main one between the leads, with decent character development that helps take this Hallmark relationship to a level I enjoyed with more interest and excitement. This character development balances well with the other plot elements and does not go too far down tangents to interrupt the overall goal of the Apollo 11 mission. Some added wit with good pacing only further supported the fun of this movie and should be very entertaining for the majority of the audience.
DISLIKES:
Predictable
Missing Some Of The Dramatic Edge
Some Plot Gaps
Some More Involvement with Other groups
Needs A Bit More Unique Factor
A Bit Too Loose At Times With The Background Information.
Summary:
However, where the movie may be lacking for some comes from perhaps spreading their hand too thin with all the genres. The movie is entertaining, but it's a predictable tale for the most part and missing that edge and deep dives that historical event films thrive on. While it is nice not being exposed to hyper-dramatic flair, the movie could have used a little more time and development with drama that didn't feel so background information. The details became a tad loose, key moments and obstacles sort of hurdled over without so much as a second look, lost in background shots and dialogue. Other groups and characters needed some investment in time, secondary characters showing potential stories of intrigue that were degraded to cute pictures and shots of a flirty smile and very little more. I felt there were some fairly wide plot gaps, or at least plot holes, that were a tad irritating, but the entertainment factor of this movie buffs things out for the time being. Overall, the movie just feels a little less unique or standing out and may become lost given the limited advertising of this movie outside of theaters and cable ads, resulting in a perception it may be too mundane to give a shot.
THE VERDICT:
Fly Me To The Moon surprised me with how much fun I had from this take on the space program. With an engaging pace to drive solid acting, a cute relationship, fun plot elements, and a spread of genres, it's going to be very enjoyable I feel for a lot of audiences. While you'll have to suspend reality and your conspiracy, the movie turned out to be cute and delightful to watch as I returned to a segment of the 1960s. Romance, drama, comedy, and a science/historical plot await everyone who gives it a shot. Is it unique? Not really. The tale is predictable and there is a lack of true dramatic flair and obstacles that movies like Apollo 13 did so well when it came to historical drama. That, with still some lower character development and involvement might lead this feeling way too thin to be the deep investment fans of drama movies enjoy in their series. Still, it's fun and worth a shot as a fun outing to the movies if you are looking for something to do, but definitely worth viewing at home if you get the chance.
My scores are:
Comedy/Romance: 7.5
Movie Overall: 6.0-6.5.
MaXXXine (2024)
MaXXXing out on Drama/Feel/Spectacle At the Cost of Horror And Edge
LIKES:
The Atmosphere
The Setting/Costumes
The Mystery
The Suspense Element To A Degree
The Wittier Comedy
The Run Time
The Actual Plot
The Homage To Hollywood
Quality Acting
Summary:
The highlight of this movie is West's appreciation for the history of cinema and the decades that defined the industry. MaXXXine is another display of that love, creating another window into the past of Los Angeles in the 80s when things went to the aggressive nightlife and colors of the mystical age. The stores, phones, and set pieces all scream from the decade, bringing the delights of the retro and what was cutting-edge technology for viewing pleasure. Cutting-edge costumes with that chic vibe further immersed me in the film and I just enjoyed all the effort to bring everything to the forefront of the decade. Add the sultry and dark tones he is famous for, and he accomplishes the goal of bringing the underworld of the city to life with all the horrors such risky lifestyles bring with it. West uses it for eye candy, but also incorporates it into the theme and plot elements that challenge our protagonist in her quest for fame. It's smart and works well to develop the story the way that West has guided this movie series since the first movie a few years ago.
Speaking of the tale, MaXXXine gifts us with a tale I was not anticipating and quite enjoyed. Picking up the pieces from X, the film is a balance of past and future colliding and her trying to address those things holding her back in her goal for fame. This sounds cliché, but West manages to take that story and wrap it up in a mystery and thriller that intertwine in this malice-fueled plot that adds "horror" elements for suspense, but also to challenge her fame on multi-tiered approaches that upon reflection appreciate even more. Such a dive into the psyche expands the rebellious character to something I appreciated much more and found myself rooting for her rather than against her like I thought this movie would be. Goth portrays all of it with such tight control, this mastery of emotion that takes her "Goth" monotone and darker characters and somehow spins them into something more. This plot held many engaging elements, and with it writing that was witty, fun, and well-timed to maximize the dark humor without being drenched in it like some other A24 productions. It runs at a pace that helps to amplify the mystery and suspense and gets the job done in a surprisingly short amount of time at just 105 minutes. When all of this comes to an end, West somehow managed to make this my favorite of the three in many regards and by far one of the better conclusions I've seen to a trilogy.
DISLIKES:
Not Scary
The Mystery Element Needed A Little More
Needed More Involvement With Other Characters
A Bit More Character Development With Her Trauma
The Revelation/Finale Component To A Degree
Summary
All of these artistic and well-designed theatrics may be awesome, but is it going to be for everyone? It depends on what you are coming for when you see this studio's work. MaXXXine is not scary, shocking, or terrifying to the degree the previous films relished. This tale may have a suspenseful mystery and threat in the shadows of the star-studded city, but much of their madness is left off-camera with only the aftermath to get a glimpse of the horrors at hand. So those wishing to bathe in the carnage again may be highly disappointed with this installment and less of the psycho-thriller elements that Pearl brought with her aspirations. In regards to the mystery and thriller, I would have loved a little more engagement with it, a few more times of nearly catching this mysterious force while helping Maxine piece on how to solve her problems. The plot with Kevin Bacon's character helps this a bit with comedy, but I felt there was something more to be done to help grant Maxine her attempt to face the demons X bestowed her. In addition, the movie was heavily focused on Goth's character (no surprise given the name of the movie), but there were several characters introduced that I had hoped would have more involvement in the film. These cameos are fine, but I felt there was more there from the opening dialogues that West dropped when it could have further enhanced Maxine's journey. I also would have liked a bit more time with the ghosts of her past and facing those demons with a little more planning than how he had approached it. It's not bad, but given Maxine's character felt a little less flashy than the Diva would normally do. Finally, the film's finale is one point that pinnacle kiss to the chaos of this series and the darker comedy aspects that West works in. And for me, it also was a bit mundane, silly, and hasty with a rush handling of a few characters that almost felt rushed for time and budget. Again, I like the metaphorical embracing she did, but something just felt incomplete for me and again not as fulfilling on the thriller level as it could have been.
The VERDICT:
MaXXXine is a film that surprised me in how much I liked it given my limitations with the other two movies. West though has done a fine job of fulfilling his goals taking history and twisting it to his world and making an engaging, character-centric narrative that never tries to escape the ambiance of the movie. It's a cruel and dark portrayal of the decade, yet still contained compared to the predecessors, with wit and quality written into the script and acting that brings West's tone to life, this film was certainly a thriller that I could watch over again. And yet, the movie feels like a director's cut might give me more of what I loved and wanted. The mystery and thriller needed some more time, alongside more involvement from the supporting cast to help maximize Maxine's journey and ordeals. Some more engaging elements to face her drama alongside a less metaphorical finish might have assisted further with that final punch to finish this tale. As for those looking for the same level of gore and grit, you might wish to lower your expectations as the movie has held back this level compared to the others. My scores from this film are:
Crime/Horror: 8.0
Movie Overall: 7.0.
Despicable Me 4 (2024)
A Film With Despicable Balance, But Lots Of Cute Charm And Fun
LIKES:
Animated Beautifully
Fun Voice Acting
Lots of Fun Movie References
Cute
Entertaining Pace
Some Old Magic Returns
References To Other DM movies
Fun
SUMMARY:
Illumination's design is entertaining and unique to make exaggerated features enjoyable, whimsical, and it sticks in your mind with the vibrant colors and light. The fourth movie keeps to these cards and has stunning animation that is familiar, fun, and enjoyable for viewers like me just looking for cartoon antics. Alongside fun voice acting, mainly led by Carell and Coffin, Despicable Me keeps being entertaining quips of complaining, awkward enthusiasm, and gibberish that still hasn't completely left me in being entertained to watch as the humor unleashes. The movie makes cute references to previous installments in the film, while also poking at Hollywood's television and movie traditions and the fans that admire them. It's clever at times and brings that magic of the first film back in balancing witty dialogue, emotional growth of characters, and slapstick humor that had me hooked in this series. In this case, a heist and an operation of the Minions are my particular favorites where things came together in the right way to show potential for this series. These moments are fleeting mind you, but when they do emerge, they shine and remind me why I love this series in terms of entertaining fun. Whatever your interests are in terms of wit vs. Silly, I think this movie still thrives in being cute and fun, perfect for the audiences coming to the theaters to see this in hopes of just taking a break from reality with this entertainment value.
DISLIKES:
The Story Is Choppy
A Bit Too Silly/Messy
Predictable
Mediocre Villains
More of the other characters
Tried Too Much In One Movie
SUMMARY
Despite this film being very fun and cute though, it's taken further steps from the magic of that first film. Primarily in story and balance, Despicable Me 4 had trailers portray a tale of new fatherhood and a new place in life after some concerns with the new villain in town. It sounds like something akin to movies one and two, but that fell to the wayside very quickly and became this choppy tale of three different groups that never quite reached the potential they were going for. It's a messy anthology with tales that struggle to fully mesh together, with predictable gimmicks and cliché finishes that did little to wow me. Mediocre villains that have limited involvement or attachment to the plot only weaken the story, making a thin backbone to build on for the sake of more silliness that had the younger members (and young at heart) laughing up a storm. Again, this is cute, but such sporadic handling of the purpose of this movie made it sparkle less than the previous installments. In addition, the movie decided to add more characters to an already loaded piece, and many of these have had a reduction in their purpose, place, and involvement that might disappoint fans. Fans of Agnes, Margo, Edith, Lucy, and even Dr. Nefario or Gru's twin brother will be disappointed to know they do very little in this film, with a focus on Gru, Poppy, and Junior, alongside the merchandised Minions. Without this balance or really looming threat, Despicable Me 4 became another example (to me) of a film trying too much in one movie and hoping it sticks.
THE VERDICT:
The fourth "main" installment continues the trend of a fun movie that is just good for passing the time and enjoying the distractions that movies can have. Gru and his family are still as cute, cuddly, and silly as ever, and they continue to bring the silliness that will have families cracking up and enjoying being together in their adventures. Beautiful animation brings the antics alive with good voice acting, delivering some of that wit and charm well, but always keeping it family-friendly no matter the underlying tones they set. However, this movie has merged the silliness of minions with the charm of Despicable Me, which is charming and fun, but fails to balance both of their strengths leading to a very disorganized plot. The fourth movie spreads the story out too much in an attempt to utilize all the pieces that make the film have less drive or purpose outside of just making you laugh. This is of course okay, but compared to some of the other films in this series, it's sad to see that cleverness and storytelling gone in place of 90 minutes of uber-ridiculous antics. Is it worth a trip to the theater? Absolutely. It's got plenty of spectacle to be in the theater, and a group outing maximizes this film's entertainment value. In regards to my scores, the final scoring is:
Animation/Adventure/Comedy: 7.0
Movie Overall: 6.0-6.5.
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 (2024)
Western Feel And Looks, But Organization That'd Be Better As A Book
LIKES:
Great Cinematography
Fantastic Western Soundtrack
Some Surprising Action
Great Acting
An Okay Pace At Times
Lots of Characters and Arcs
Some Emotional Moments
The Western Feeling
Summary:
Costner has accomplished the goal of making a legitimate Western in feel, look, and presentation. It's a startling drama that pays great attention to the frontier traveling days of the past and captures the harsh and savage land nightmare it once was. His camera team picks amazing shots with editing and angles that maximize the adventurous moments, while also finding times to convey that horror and dismay at the harder plot elements. Alongside a very Western soundtrack of violins, blaring horns, and several styles of drums, the movie only further dives back to that period. With good costumes and a story that divides itself amidst a lot of elements during the expansion of the American colonies, the movie only further gets the authentic Western seal that my grandfather would have approved of.
In regards to actual storytelling, it's okay for viewers like me. Horizon is the name of the land to which all the players are called together. The variety of tales offers the viewer a story to get on board with to weather the long run time, changing themes being the driving force that you might relate to. Within these moments you'll find some hard-pressed drama that drama lovers will eat up as you watch the character realize the reality of the situation. A fantastic cast helps to bring the emotion to life, the chemistry between many harsh, cruel, and believable as the sects form and the stories develop. Some performances are a tad mundane and seem disinterested, but I vary this more to time and editing than the actors themselves. Though drama is the main theme, there is some action to help mix things up, all well-placed if not a bit one note and over too quickly before things ramped up to that exciting suspense I like. Such moments helped the pace to chew through some of the bloated run time and piqued my interest the most.
DISLIKES
The Runtime
A Tad Too Dark At Times
Story Is Meh
Very Patchy Order
Needed Some More Action/Exciting Moments
Some Odd Decisions
Teaser At The End
Boring Characters At Times
Pacing Inconsistencies
Too Much In One Film
Summary:
The movie is a Western, but something feels off for it to rank as one of the best movies of the genre for someone like me. The stories are okay, familiar, and traditional to the fans, but somehow feel half-hearted and developed compared to the older Western stories. This led to a lackluster tale with an order that feels messy and disorganized at times it offset the pace and entertainment of the movie. These pacing consistencies alongside the odd direction of where to transition between a story didn't come off as clean or perfect as I wanted and led to severe pacing inconsistencies alongside it. Boring characters (to some degree) only amplify that slower feeling, characters with so much more potential never really deliver on it and come off as limited and rather bland in what transpired in this movie. And the fact this movie is more dramatic than truly adventurous only made the slog a bit harder, with too much focus for me on dialog, longing, and that moral compass testing that this film tries so hard to present. The darker moments are the only times the action ramps up, but because they are short-lived and primarily more geared to one-sided bouts than even exchange, started to feel like a mirroring of the fights from Yellowstone. All of this became essentially a convoluted and bloated movie at times that may be unappealing for those with short attention spans.
THE VERDICT:
What feels like a hybridization of Yellowstone with the classic movies of the 40s-60s decade, Horizon's first chapter is not a bad entry into the genre. Costner has developed a movie with the look, feel, familiarity, and harshness of Western colonization and has created an almost anthology of tales that should offer one or two plots to latch on to. A fantastic cast enhances the grittiness of the movie, providing (most of the time) solid performances that capitalize on the drama and bring that emotional distraught to the fullest effect possible. All of this, plus a spectrum of story elements that sort of bring history to life without the "screenplay" feel helps accomplish the goal of portraying the harshness of the world. However, the movie is very bloated, and the stories feel disconnected and simplified alongside the characters that seem stuck in their slice of "heaven." Yet, the stories needed that connection to move things along, needed interconnecting and a driving point that was missing for me, with jumbled editing, order, and interventions that threw off the pacing and momentum. Some more action scenes or perhaps the action scenes having a little more merit could have helped things further as well. Perhaps Part 2 will be better now that things are set up, but I feel this movie could have done well as a mini-series to spread everything he did in this film and handle the characters better. My scores for this film are:
Drama/Western: 7.5
Movie Overall: 6.0-6.5.
A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)
A Day Full Of Drama, Okay Horror, and More Questions to Still Get Answers
LIKES:
Great cinematography
Love More Of the Beasts Movements
Fantastic use of New York Jungle
Character Details And New Side Of Post-Incident Living
The Cat
Acting
The Sound Editing
The Pacing
SUMMARY:
The movie still holds that atmospheric storytelling with the camera and sound that establishes the mood and horror. Day One does the deed well with the new terrain, New York's colossal skyscrapers are jungle gyms for these creatures, death traps that once were safe, now turned to obstacle courses. Nightmare-generating tunnels and isolated open streets further add to the mix and provide ample ways to help rip the familiarity of the city away in one gigantic sweep. Sarnoski's direction gives us more to the monster's abilities in movements, a sort of nature documentary that helps add to their cleverness and insight into what these things do when they aren't clicking and stalking their prey. While also giving us new hunting habits that the other movies didn't quite focus on in their storytelling, all built around the megapolis. And yet, despite the hopeless feel, this prequel still finds that light, just in a new way that worked for me on levels. Day One's tale has these moments that help bring the spirituality to heart and develop the characters past some other story elements. And the pacing maintains itself enough to stay engaging despite a story that heads the opposite way and can be a tad moody.
Finally, acting may be limited to two humans and a cat, but you are handed a fantastic group that brings a lot to a movie with limited dialog. Wolff is his usual self, and by this point, you either love or dislike his character direction in a horror movie. Quinn does the job well and at times was my favorite character despite being a tad overdone/exaggerated with his delivery. Yet he's a solid wall to bounce off of and he succeeds in balancing out the tone of the movie. Nyong'o though was stunning as ever, doing so much with her movement and body than words, truly using those limited moments of speaking to really enjoy the freedom of speaking that we take for granted. Yet, my favorite "actor' is the cat, who brings so much to the movie in terms of suspense, humor, and sentimentality that thrills an animal lover like me. Fantastic work with the way they used "Frodo", the cat's attitude is the freshness to the movie that many should enjoy.
DISLIKES:
At Times Boring
Predictable Ending
More Answers Needed For Me
Some Unique Elements Missing
More Characters To Up The Suspense
The Character Arc May Be Limiting
SUMMARY:
Day One is good on many levels, but the movie is starting to feel a tad old hat and requires help to continue pushing this film further and further to quality. So, what limitations did this movie have for me? For one thing, the movie is a bit boring, the stop-and-go moments are there to calm things down, but the direction feels a bit too back and forth it slows things down a tad too much. Second, the movie drops something very early that gives you fairly good odds to predict what will happen at the end, and that further adds to the boredom (to a degree) that may be disappointing to some members. In addition, something is missing for me, some wow factor or some new pieces of information that could expand the tale and give me more about how and why these beings invaded. Though we get some new moves and skills, we are no closer to figuring out the why or reasoning. Some new things I think I understand, but are vague enough to wonder what I'm seeing and the inclusion of these new "qualities". In addition, the mission is going to be a mixed bag for fans depending on how artistic/self-reflecting you are vs. Wanting a logical plot that feels similar to the other two movies. This quest is humorous and understandable, but in doing so becomes this odd La-La land feeling movement that is beautiful, but at the same time feels counterproductive and limiting to what could have been. Plus, a few more human actors could have fit well in this movie, giving us that survival aspect I go for in this movie, and adding some more intensity that A Quite Place 1 did so well. Thus, the movie's unique factor and character may also be the limiting factor depending on the type of fan you are.
The VERDICT:
A Quiet Place's prologue feels familiar in much of the presentation and in ways have expanded the world to give us more stories from this world's collection. I loved the cinematic and sound quality to bring the new playground to life and how they used a lot of aspects to have our characters stand a chance in their eluding of the blind beasts. It's got some great character development moments and a poetic side to help offset the usual tones of the movie, and that gamble pays off at times for a viewer like me. Plus, a cat named after a hobbit is tough to not like for a nerd like me too. Yet, the movie's very spark of uniqueness is also potentially its biggest limiting factor as well. The story is semi-predictable, and this quest seems rather pointless and kind of counterproductive despite the deeper meanings behind it. A few more human characters or some better backup information could have gone further to expand on the lore and make this prequel far more necessary than just another look during the Day One memories from Part 2. Is this a movie theater trip? I think so for many of the likes and the experience of being in the theaters. My scores are:
Drama/Horror/Sci-Fi: 8.0
Movie Overall: 7.0-7.5.
The Exorcism (2024)
Exorcises A Lot Of Potential For Covering The Deck
LIKES:
The Special Effects
The Use of Shadows
Great Sound Effects
A Few Good Scare Tricks
The Acting Is Just Fine
There Is Some Character Redemption
Short Run Time
Summary:
The Exorcism is a movie that thrives on the loud and the dark for its primary gimmick. The sound is loud and verbose, perfect for the very few scary moments where the banging walls, breaking glass, and screams are amplified in the theater-worthy presentation. There are great uses of shadow and darkness to terrorize our characters, much of which is shot beautifully to capture the terror of the moment. It shakes things to the foundation and really gets the perfect shot to draw out the full emotional spectrum of the moment. Beautiful cinematography is the most impressive part of this movie for me and in the dim lighting has a spirit of its own to pursue. As for the nontechnical side of things, The Exorcism has a few glimmers that shine. It gets points for a twist on the genre, and the characters are okay and have some heft to a rather stereotypical cast of characters to play in this religious feature. These characters are brought to life by some decent acting that has to play some awkward roles. Worthington has his moments and deals with some good plays as an idolizing fan who is also a loyal friend. Simpkins plays the dutiful daughter well, bringing fire, fervor, some surprising layers, and representation to the movie without getting too lost in any one quality. Crowe's role wasn't as entertaining as when working for the Pope, but he continues his stint in the horror game, this time bringing some challenging problems to coincide with his character facing the horrors on set and at home. The characters have potential and fulfill various things that a variety can find some spark of interest in the movie. And if not, then take solace in the short runtime so you don't waste too much time.
DISLIKES:
Not Scary
The Story Is Okay
Characters Need More Development
Waste of Sam Worthington
The Monster Is Lame At Times
Needed More Scares and Intensity
Movie Set Twist Was Irrational
Language With Minimal Need
The Direction Of The Movie
Summary:
Sadly, most of the reviews are correct in stating there are many limitations to this movie that take away from the expected thrills. The film is not scary for the most part, with only a few moments holding any merit for causing a jump or memorable scare tactic. A genuine story with some promise sort of falls flat, becoming very predictable, dry, mundane, and did not reach the heights they were trying to achieve. Characters needed more challenges, there needed to be more involvement in the mystery, and even more so a mystery to pursue. The monster's purpose was simple and lacked any real bite or purpose until the very end with a lackluster flashback, and we had to try and push some story that could have come a lot easier. The whole twist of the movie set was lost and almost not needed given most of the stuff could have been done practically at any other location. I would have liked to see more integration into the movie, some twist, clue, or element that suggested why this movie set was the choice of acting. I'm sure there is an undertone that you can stretch, but the payoff was not worth the investment. The language used was more insulting than needed, the first few times worth the scene, but then becoming excessive filler that contributed little to the movie. Sam Worthington's inclusion was minimal and a waste of his talent and character, and the scares were almost as bad, but at least had some moments that were creepy enough to get a leg up. My biggest thing is that the movie could not seem to pick a direction to take it as this might have helped with a lot of the problems. The Exorcism starts at the foot of a horror movie and then adds some drama to the mix to help get some depth. After that though, a mystery comes in to help, then turns to religious-centered plot lines that begin to overshadow the other elements. Because it keeps passing the tone and focus, the jumbled direction continues to interrupt and hurt the quality of the movie. Picking one or two elements and building that plot would have helped take this to the full level and accomplish the mission of scares and a deeper story.
The VERDICT:
The Exorcism has elements that are beautiful, and effective, and show promising direction in terms of helping get a story out with the best emotional punch it can yield. The acting is fine and the twist was engaging, but it just didn't quite come to fruition, and will be very difficult to recommend a visit. Mostly due to the spread direction that it takes, the movie fails to gain momentum to be all it can be and tries to shift too extreme at times and in directions that feel very forced and shallow instead of having meaning. I needed a scary antagonist with a purpose, characters that uncover mysteries or things about themselves and not in very cut-and-dry explanations, and suspense for investing my time. Sadly, all of this failed and we were left with a modicum of a movie that should have and could have been better. The plus side outside of the production value is that it's a short run time, but for me, this movie is best left for streaming at home. My scores are:
Horror/Thriller: 5.5
Movie Overall: 5.0.
The Bikeriders (2023)
Taking A Ride On The Dramatic Side
LIKES:
Acting
The Sounds Of The Cycle
The Old Timey Film/Feeling
Setting/Costumes
The Dive Into The Biker Persona
Good Food For Thought
The Dialogue To Some Degree
Summary:
Nichols' movie is very smart and has that artistic design, direction, and heightened writing that adds realism and depth to the movie. The Bikeriders is set on a book from interviews that focused on the lives of road warriors and what made a biker a biker. It's a way of life, and smartly summarizes each member to grant them a personality that contributed to the gangs. These profiles change throughout the movie, and the material does well to help break through the Sons of Anarchy drama and crime for something with more layers to each member of the club. It was fascinating to see these personalities come together, especially from the added perspective of one woman who seemed to recollect the tale which the movie captured and organized beautifully. Fantastic food for thought and engaging psych evaluations to these members, The Bikeriders excels in the drama profiling that the trailers promised. The acting is stellar on so many accounts, with many secondary characters enjoyable to watch as they help both break and add to the tension of the movie with solid contributions to the film. Butler is okay, his portrayal is a lot more monotone and one note than Elvis, but captures one profile of a man whose life is all about riding and the feel of freedom. Hardy may still have a limited range, but he is so good at curbing it to a character, this time adding that creepy focus and strength into the head of the club and taking charge in a variety of intimidating ways. But it is Jodie Comer who was my most impressive of the bunch. Her range continues to be incredible, this time taking on the thick Minnesota dialect and running with it, giving you all the hurt, frustration, confusion, and happiness and bringing it into this fun package that serves as an awesome narrative. I loved her engagement with the interviewer and enjoyed the other engagements that were fun to watch. Her chemistry is engaging, and all of them, bring out the deep dialogue that is central to this movie to our cast expressing themselves.
Past the acting and story, the movie has a style that feels like modern times and nostalgia combined into one, including the grainy images of the cameras of yesteryear. It's got this old-time feeling to it, and it works to bring to life the sixties and seventies that this movie takes place in. The replica bikes are beauties, stunning pieces whose engines rev in high-quality sound that had the theater rumbling, beautifully moving through the streets with that desperado vibe. A fantastic location squad with a set helps add that rural town/city charm with a setting loaded to the nines with props and memorabilia of the times. And the costumes are wicked cool and representative of the times from the conservative sweaters to the individualized colors of the bikers. Amazing attention to detail helps bring you back to the time and ingrain you into the movie, a big plus for reviewers like me in this movie.
DISLIKES:
Feels A Tad Aimless
Some Hard To Watch Stuff
Language At Times
Needed More Music
More Actual Bike Riding Moments
A Tad Too Dialogue Heavy For Pace
Slow
Summary:
With all this thought-provoking material and challenging content, the movie does tend to spin off into artistic territory that may not mix well with audiences. For me, the movie felt a tad aimless, an attempt to concise the interviews and legacy into two hours and do little to actually move despite the trailer's hype. I found that the bike riding moments were limited to what other movies do, more about the biker than the actual action, which felt a tad disappointing from my expectations. Other things felt absent as well, music that I love in period pieces that help add some fun elements or a feel of the times was lacking, or even a clear impasse to get over. In addition, the dialogue feels a bit heavy-handed at times, slowing things down further and making it boring, something only drawn out by the random bouts of focused cursing and groaning. It's a lifestyle portrayal definitely and those with intense biopic admiration will love it, while others may find this a bit mundane to the promised excitement of the trailers. And of note, some moments might be hard, the Midwestern venue a frontier where rugged personalities might lead to very dark actions that will make some very uncomfortable or face trauma.
The VERDICT:
Overall, The Bikeriders is a movie that feels very much like an Oscar candidate in the production, feel, and direction of the movie. It's a very quippy and elevated movie that holds strong acting performances, very realistic dialogue, depth in characters, and immersion via the audio and visual elements. Nichols' direction is still as artistic as ever and brings out the book elements in a concise package to help put the biker stereotype under the microscope. However, the movie's Oscar-like presentation may be a tad much more than what the trailers hinted at, primarily in too much drama and not enough of the moving action events that this movie could have had. With a pace that feels like the air is low in the tires at times and some aimless direction, this film needed a little Hollywood touch to get the splendor in the movie and help add that engaging direction I like in a biker movie. Is it worth a trip to the theaters? Yes in terms of acting, but this film is going to be optimized for watching at home in case it doesn't quite ignite your engine in movies. My scores are:
Crime/Drama: 7.5
Movie Overall: 6.5-7.0.
Inside Out 2 (2024)
A Balanced Backtrack That Needs A Little More Thought
LIKES:
The Animation
The Character Development
The Emotional Development
Balance of Inside and Out
Clever
Funny At Times
Cute
Decent Pace
Great Voice Acting
Used All The Characters Pretty Evenly
SUMMARY:
In terms of likes, Inside Out 2 is summarized as the usual Pixar magic with the modern-day approach of Disney's studio agenda. The animation is gorgeous with vivid colors, immaculate curves and angles, and fluid movements that are now an expectation for the studio to keep. It's eye-catching and stimulating, easily hypnotizing most of the younger members in my showing, but yet clever in design so that older fans can be entertained by the usual wit Pixar's cleverness brings. Both inside and outside of Riley keep to the themes, still being that cartoonish style for the humans, but somehow playing with light and shadow to add that flare that we love in a Disney production. It all plays a solid part in eliciting the emotions they are going for and is almost as much of a character as the literal characters themselves.
As for the story and characters, this is where most of the movie is going to shine in my opinion. The second installment's story does a nice summary and introduction to the transitions in a fun montage, but quickly throws a wrecking ball into things that introduce the new emotions. From there, the movie becomes one part adventure and two parts emotion, in a delicate dance that is reflected in both inside and outside events to what I loved in the first film. Many of the emotions get some level of character development, alongside Riley who has complexity that is just as complicated as the age range the trailers have fixated on for the past few months. Yet, the emotional dive is the biggest development of the movie, with various scenarios coming that strummed the nostalgic strings of growing up and bombarded the relevant elements that added to the experience. It's a roller coaster that is deep and entertaining for viewers like me, moving at a decent pace that brings comedy, cleverness, storytelling, and cuteness into one vibrant package. The voice acting further adds to the mixture, sometimes being done to levels that had me envisioning the actors experiencing this pain as they delivered their lines to shockingly accurate degrees. All the emotions get shockingly balanced time, nine characters, plus Riley, actually having importance for inclusion and giving me adequate time with every emotion, which many studios fail to accomplish. All of this was very surprising to a degree given the amount of delays and controversy with this movie, but Mann's direction with her writers has made a story that is very relevant and somehow still holding some of the Pixar 90s-2000s adventure that for a while has been gone.
DISLIKES:
Less Creative World Building
The Antagonist Is More Metaphorical Than A Threat
More Contributions By Some Characters Could Have Been Done
The Adventure Is Okay, Yet Still Mundane
The Retconning
Relevance Plays A Big Key
Summary:
Where some of the cuts and costs of this balanced emotional tale come in the cost of the adventure and creative elements though. Maybe it's the teenage years and the metaphorical development that comes with growing older in some, but Inside Out's second ordeal didn't quite have the same creativity and unique flavor that the first did. The layout changes, but kind of in the laziest way possible with only a few moments being humorous more than wow. Even the antagonist and threat are less stellar than Joy's monster and Bing-Bong's shifting direction, as the new waves are again more a relevant force than a truly unique character. It leads to the adventure part being a bit blander and superficial, the excitement ebbed by very flash-in-the-pan moments and exaggerated jokes that fit well in the modern era. Some characters could have had more, Disgust needing to do more than just sound like a Valley Girl, or Fear maybe adding a little more protection or something, but that's a nitpicky component that ties back to other areas to get Riley through puberty. And true there are story misfires and changing an entire structure that is a bit farfetched to make the new belief system work, but they are easily overlooked in the long run. Perhaps the biggest thing I can warn, is that relevance and relatability may be more of a motivating factor for people to enjoy this movie that might sway the review scores one way or another.
The VERDICT:
Inside Out 2 is a movie that has been timed beautifully given the current timing of the year and the lack of animation movies for at least the next three weeks. Much like the first movie, it hits hard in both emotional/poetic glory with the same fun adventure that Pixar proves it still has despite a focus on realistic stories. I loved the balance to many degrees, and because of my own relevance with these emotions and characters had extra levels that enhanced my viewing experience. With a great blend of acting, design, animation, and storytelling, despite not paying attention or explaining some key factors being changed, the movie does accomplish much for the targeted audience group and the supporting group around them. True, the adventure lacks some of the originality, cleverness, and obstacles that add spice to a movie that I enjoy and want Pixar to return to. However, the movie was worth a theater visit, with only the animation style's colors being the 3-D nature of the movie. I'd check this one out if you can get a chance, but also I won't call this the best sequel or Pixar movie ever.
My scores are:
Animation/Adventure/Comedy: 8.0
Movie Overall: 7.0.
The Watchers (2024)
I Always Feel Like... Somebody's Watching Me!
LIKES:
The Setting
The Camera Work
The Acting
The Character Story To A Degree
The Graphics
The Writing
The Bird
The Overall Story Is Okay
SUMMARY:
The Watchers is a movie that for the most part relies heavily on the imagination and the isolation effect to do the lifting of the movie. Under the guidance of Ishana, I found this movie successful in accomplishing this goal with camera work that finds optimum angles to convey the emotion of isolation. A fantastic setting of the grey European forest alongside dynamic lighting and special effects draws out a dismal and isolated feeling that leaves one feeling hopeless at times given the desolate world. As the world continues to reveal itself and the Watchers begin to emerge, the graphics continue to look decent, with smooth and horrific animation, some awesome details in the skin texture, and some haunting movements that further rip away the comfort and elicit the horror element. Sound editing that accompanies it further immerses you into the doomed forest, done well to optimize the terror and try to set you up for the jump scares they were shooting for.
In regards to the story to which the scares are built from, it's okay. Another symbolic and artistic approach, The Watchers' story relies heavily on some folklore for adaptation, something that does not show up until the second half of the film, and that revelation is both a bit more original and lackluster at the same time. A gradual revelation shows a bit more merit helps escalate how far this tale goes, and assists with helping draw out the horror and help fill in some of the story gaps. The character stories flesh things out a bit more, each of the four "heroes" holding some light and depth that hold some realistic relatability to care for the characters stuck in this mess. This movie holds heavy dialogue and the writing is smart at times and engaging, with heavy words, engaging delivery, and a strong atmospheric tone to establish the rules. I found the words brought to life well by most of the acting in the limited cast of this film. Fanning is about the same as always, listless, and creepy, and can portray the more somber emotions better than most as she faces the horrors of her past and present. Campbell offers more variety, bringing a bit of light into the movie that helps cut through the monotone depression and keep things engaging, especially during some of the trials forced upon her. Fouere is articulate and creepy in her role, all of her words so heavy, deep, and accented that they bring gravity to help enhance the story elements and somehow make the unknown more uncomfortable. Oliver Finnegan as well plays his role well, adding that unbalanced nature that adds a bit more of that psychological component to the film, further keeping the teeter-totter swaying back and forth Add in a cute bird that does very little and yet so much to help contrast the tone of the movie, and you round out the movie's likes for me.
DISLIKES:
The Plot's Ending
More Character Story Needed
The Revelation is Disappointing
The Twist Was Predictable
More Danger and Suspense Needed
Some Odd Plot Gaps
A Bit More Emotional Components To the Characters
SUMMARY:
Despite all the elements that were engaging, The Watchers has issues with some of the usual nuances this movie genre suffers from. In the story department, the plot's ending is a bit of a letdown for me, not because of the content that they chose, but because the execution is mediocre and rushed at times. Perhaps we needed more gradual discovery in the woods, more time spent in the danger field, and a few moments edited to be earlier in the film. The characters needed more depth as well, helping to give them more layers like they tried to give Fanning's character and helping give me more to either root for or against. The editing might have helped with smoothing out plot gaps and questions that distracted me during the time. They do answer some of the questions, but there are still some unresolved or a stretch. And the twist that came was predictable for many reasons, and thus the revelation was mediocre for me as well. Perhaps the biggest thing needed though, is more terror and close calls. The Watchers is missing so much of that, with the climactic components very mundane because there was so much more they could do. After such an epic setup with the environment and camera work, the lack of real challenges and trials was a very disappointing finish for horror fans who like a little more bite to their thriller.
The VERDICT
Another movie of mundane horror, The Watchers has elements that the Shyamalan tribe knows how to do well in their movie media. Fantastic visuals, audio, and dialogue are the centerpieces of this film, with good characters and acting to a degree to bring it to life. It blends folklore and scares in a nice hybrid with some emotional depth beyond the typical horror movie. A smarter approach to conveying terror, returning to your imagination being the primary painter, it works so hard to play off of the fears of isolation, desolation, and hopelessness that made me feel more uncomfortable than the bad guys themselves. Where the movie fails is the pacing of the plot, spreading out that allure and explanation to give the film more bite, alongside needing more time and writing to the characters to build them up past the solemn humans we get. In addition, more scares, close calls, and strategy needed to be executed so that we might have a bit more excitement in suspense in their attempts to get out of the forest. Is this film worth a trip to the theater... I'm mixed. I would encourage you to support your local theater, but this movie feels better used at home to get the most out of your experience. In regards to my score, I rank The Watchers at:
Fantasy/Horror/Mystery: 6.5-7.0
Movie Overall: 6.0.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024)
Riding in Style, Dying in Very Little
LIKES:
Moves At a Great Pace
Funny
Acting On Point
Decent Character Development
Movie Theater Elements
Kicking Sound Track
Action Scenes Return to Glory (mostly)
SUMMARY:
Our Bad Boys have always been entertaining as the detectives dive into the heart of the Miami underworld. This film is stupid fun, with an exhilarating and fast pace like the cars they drive, holding little time to get into deep artistic dives. It pulls from previous stories, integrates fun references that many will remember, and helps push our characters down familiar avenues. The fourth installment offers some character development, nothing too deep or poetic, but enough to extend our characters to something more than bullet-launching bad boys. It fits into the themes well, helps pick up from the better qualities of Bad Boys Three, and keeps their fingers on the pulse of just a fun and engaging period. And much like the other films, they are just fun, with the same comedic splendor of the earlier films with the insults, slapstick humor, and the response to the stupid antics occurring. It's rated r for sure, but that attitude blends so well and makes this movie another nostalgic trip worth taking. One thing that has improved is the technology to bring the exciting elements to life, loading this film with plenty of theater-worthy qualities to shake up the theater. The action is fast, frantic, and has lots of the familiar elements, with little deviation from the edgy goodness that comes with it. In my showing, my seat quaked from the sound assaults, with visuals that were crazy busy, but so exciting and filled with that attitude you expect in this film franchise. Load in the kicking soundtrack this franchise has, including a few comedic songs to lighten the mood, and you get so much of the original formula to just have a fun time at the movies.
DISLIKES:
Some Story Elements Feeling Unfinished
Very Fast Wrap Up
The potential Setup up
Aggressive Language At Times
A Better Developed Villain
Not That Original
Summary:
No movie is perfect though and this film still struggles with some elements that continued additions can struggle with. Despite a decent story, several elements felt unnecessary, unfinished, or perhaps very stupid and overdone that I had wished been left out and the time focused on another story. A few of these moments involved the captain's family which feels very bland and could have gone more, while others are set-ups for what feels like not only a fifth movie but the next duo to join forces in the cartel wars. These elements are okay and not the worst by far, but they didn't do any favors to strengthen the story. A better-developed villain could have gone a long way, one with more tricks and threats that weren't so familiar or done before. Several of his associates were also holding potential, but alas, fell to mediocre levels that pale to some of the other auxiliary characters from the past. More action would have been nice for me, especially at the end where things seemed to wrap up faster than anticipated, and could have done more. A small thing for me, but big for others, the movie's foul language gets a tad out of hand, but there are far worse games in this field, just be warned.
The VERDICT
Perhaps not the most original movie sequel, Bad Boys' fourth installment is familiar, fun, and feels fresh that they took a step back into their wheelhouse. With a great buddy system in motion, Smith and Lawrence bring the magic of the decades back and keep things fun and engaging while always edgy. The story elements serve their purpose of developing their characters, while the action gets major upgrades worthy of a theater visit to take full advantage. I loved the comedy, the pacing, and just getting lost in another fun summer flick. Sure, the movie needs some more originality, trimming off some storylines reserved for whatever is to come, and could have put some more time into making a better villain. Yet, most aren't going to care and just enjoy the fun experience for what it's worth. Therefore, I give this movie:
Action/Adventure/Comedy: 8-8.5
Movie Overall: 7.5-8.0.
The Garfield Movie (2024)
Garfield of Dreams Of Family Fun And Heart
LIKES:
Animation/Design
The Comedy Is Humorous
The Heart Is There
The Voice Acting Is Fine
Plenty of Garfield References For Older Fans
Adorable/Family Friendly
An Okay Story
Summary:
Modern CGI can be hokey or good depending on the budget. Fortunately, I feel that this film was good with the approach they took to animating and designing our feline friend and his group. Most of the characters maintain their design from the comics, whimsy proportions, exaggerated elements, and eyes that are so wide they take up most of the space on their faces. A testimony to the classic, Garfield still holds smooth animation as the anthropomorphic bunch plays well with fluid and dynamic movements that feel like the Peanuts movie with more finesse. Regardless of how you like the style, I give this movie props for keeping the emotions running with their design choices and just how touching some of the softer moments can be.
Which brings me to the rest of what I liked about the movie. Garfield's latest movie may not be the most original work, but it accomplishes the goal of being a family-friendly feature for the masses. The comedy is humorous, at times making me laugh out loud and others more in line with younger audience members to chuckle and squeal at when the slapstick humor hits. And if you are quite versed in the Garfield franchises, you'll enjoy the nods to the cat's marketing endeavors and famous moments intertwined with the comedic antics. The voice acting helps at times to make these jokes come out, though no one puts any effort to sound like Garfield's usual tone, which is both annoying and fine at the same time depending on what you want from the character. The story is a nice combination of a Garfield and Friends set of episodes mixed with a tale similar to Despicable Me. The hybrid works to be entertaining with enough heartfelt moments to choke you up occasionally and give you that warm feeling in your stomach. The movie has a lot to cater to most audiences coming to see this film, and I felt quite content with the 75 minutes or so I got with the group.
DISLIKES:
More Jon Needed
Predictable
Jokes Often Are Forced
There Feels Some Skipping In the Plot
More Time With Baby Garfield
Just Missing That Creative Spark/Cleverness
SUMMARY:
No surprises for most of these, The Garfield Movie is geared toward a certain age set in mind as the primary audience. The story has that family feel, but it's predictable, a tad bland, and lacking most twists and turns that I always hope can make a surprise. Missing the market with more time with the cat's baby form was also a mistake, as this could have served as half a movie with the little guy, and establishing his home alludes to something more brimming. And Jon, a staple to the franchise, is a goof, but he is a side goof that holds very few necessary attributes to the story past those opening sequences. The disjointed plot elements only further feel second thought until the end where things come together and set up for a potential sequel that will surely come if it makes enough money. Throw in some rather forced humor and missing some spark to raise this past just another Garfield feature, are the limitations that I think further dampen the movie for those looking for more to the film.
The VERDICT
The Garfield Movie is very fun and perfect for the audience that the trailer was intending would enjoy the film. It's got fun animation that pays tribute to Davis' work, contains vibrant and stimulating colors, and a very smooth flow to make all the loveable human antics come to life. Loaded with that family-loving energy, it's a fun outing to the theater with enough feel-good moments to warrant hitting the holiday weekend to beat the heat. However, the movie lacks the creative spark or togetherness that I think other movies have done well. It needs a little more balance, a little more twist, a little more fervor, and catering to 90's level writing that catered to more than the primary audience. I'd encourage you to check this out at home at the least for a family night in, but if you can get out to the theater, please do. My scores are:
Animation/Adventure/Comedy: 7.0
Movie Overall: 6.0.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
Furisouly Action Packed
LIKES:
The Story Matching Up To The Previous Movie
The Costumes/Wardrobe/Makeup
The Acting
The Music
The Sound Effects
The Visuals/Designs
The Comedy To A Degree
The Character Development
The Surprise Pacing
Several Action Sequences
Summary:
A lot of likes for this one, Furiosa's campaign is loaded with quality that makes going to the movies fun for a viewer like me. For fans of the story, you'll be pleased to get a familiar feel for the Mad Max world, and like the connections and references to the kingdoms most of Hardy's movies played with. I need a rewatch, but I felt most of them kept to the lore and continuity well without getting too lost in making sure everything was exact. Our leading lady's story holds a lot of good moments, especially the movie's opening half, and I loved the emotions conveyed by Taylor-Joy's solid performance (alongside her younger counterpart). This blend of entertainment and lore building was solid, and the acting continues to be right on the part with Miller's direction for being deep, but not too deep. Hemsworth had fun with this role, and I laughed a bunch at how different a role he played in this movie, finding his delivery uncouth, insane, and ambitious to be the perfect villain for a film. Burke's classiness has been curtailed to fit quite well in this world, almost like a Mad Max persona himself without as much of the insanity or rogue nature.
The main cuisine comes in the form of special effects for me, which have really stepped on the gas over the last decade. Furiosa is splendid in making this world shine as it illustrates: horrendous cannibalistic cults, harsh desert marauders and groups, epic vehicles and mashed-up monstrosities, and disease-ravaged warriors. Costumes are crips and tight to fit the "punk" era apocalyptic theme, while our characters still maintain enough humanity to become overly fake and phony. The action scenes (particularly in Acts 1, 3, and 4) show this off beautifully bringing high-quality sound-editing, epic musical scores, and dynamic visuals together to make some of the better action sequences. Designing the rigs and vehicles was awesome to me, alongside the choreography, Miller and his crew have put up a stylish movie that is every bit as chaotic as the content, and I loved it. Totally worth the theater visit, this is the level of entertainment that the movies were made for (so long as you can handle the rated-R material).
DISLIKES:
Too Much In One Movie
Stories Truncated A Bit At Times
Editing
Bloated At The End
Some Visuals Get A tad Artificial Looking
SUMMARY:
While a magnificent movie of splendor and excitement, the movie did have just a few things that I did not like. Visual-wise (again assuming you can handle this style) a few times the CGI effect takes hold and looks fake, but this is minor compared to other movies. No, the main thing has to do with some of the storytelling in this movie. While it adds up at the end, Furiosa's five acts sometimes feel incomplete or heavily edited. Stories that are just starting quickly get dropped to an action sequence or (in most cases) lost to a quick time-lapse to the closing part of that story. There was so much to see and do. So many characters to engage with and planning, but it was very diluted and rushed for much of the movie. I won't say much to avoid spoilers, but most should see the avenues where the story took a dive or seemed to have to make last-minute cuts to make the time. The exception would be the ending, where most of the last 25-30 minutes felt very drawn out into speeches that hold a lot of character-testing value, but are slow, sluggish, and a bore after the adrenaline rush. Perhaps this movie needed two parts or a mini-series to solve this, but it felt like it had a lot to tell in a short time.
THE VERDICT:
This film was indeed a spectacle that I had a lot of fun with. Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa was only the start of what I liked about this film that used its big budget on effects well to craft the chaotic world of Mad Max. High-octane thrill rides with loud engines are amazing, and the storytelling suits to meet the ends together for the Hardy movie to pick up, but yet still be its own thing to explain the hardships of our driving queen. Its main dislike is too much in one movie and cutting so much just when it was getting good to cram so much in. Outside of a few moments, the pacing is entertaining, and the action will more than makeup things for most when all is said and done. As I've said several times, this is a theater trip for those who are fans of this type of movie.
My scores are:
Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi: 8.5
Movie Overall: 7.5.
Back to Black (2024)
Emotional Emulation Blacks Out On Pace
LIKES:
Great Acting
Layered Cinematography
Love The Setting
Decently Contained/Edited
Makeup/Wardrobe Department
Powerful Music
Enjoyed The Performances/Depictions
Artistical Direction At Times
Emotional At Times:
Summary
The movie's primary benefit (in my opinion) is the use of Hollywood's resources to take us back in time and make the world of her music come to life. Back to Black may not be the most dated period, but it's so much fun to see London take a trip back a few decades and get caught up in the fervor of the early 2000s. Mixed with costumes and make-up to bring Winehouse's look to life, especially in the coiffing of her hair in the grungy beehive that she wore so well. An artistic direction that takes advantage of a fantastic department set to revive the woman in her "prime".
Yet, others will most likely be caught up in this dark story of this songstress and a darker side of fame that most can't capture. Back to Black's tale is again artistic, with metaphors mashed into most scenes that bring out the literary devices and add something to the moment. The camera work greatly assists with this, finding a lot of good shots that sort of mirror the mood of the times and foreshadowing things to come without straying too far as some directors do. Taylor-Johnson and Greenhalgh's writing conveys a very emotional story, helping to give their take on Winehouse's journey to show the struggles and using it to build up to musical moments. Powerful musical numbers and sequences, (or perhaps just some background music) are utilized well, giving the audience that musical element they seek (should you be a fan of her music). And bringing it all together is Abela, who does a fantastic job in her mimicry of Winehouse in more ways than one. She's got the dialect and edge in her voice, the look of confidence and rebellion in her mannerisms, and for downfall, moments can play the part of suffering the morning after. It's all an emotional whirl, and the group accomplished much in making an emotional homage to the Jazz singer but still managing to contain it to a respectable degree.
DISLIKES:
Very Sporadic
Lots Of Stories Half Discovered
Numbers Don't Feel Complete
A Lot Of Sex/Drinking scenes
Minimal Relief From Dark
Can Be Boring
Summary:
Artistic directions can lead to less entertainment though, something that many reviewers have complained about (alongside the accuracy of this film). Winehouse's life had a lot going on, and despite their best efforts, Back To Black feels very edited and sporadic with the story. While they do a great job with a few of her characters, other plots feel like mere cameos for inclusion sake than anything else, stories that could have helped expand her horizons. This extended to the movie as a whole, where things felt very sporadic, with lots of time jumps that translated semi-well into a cohesive story, but a scattered one at that. This translated to the music at times, numbers that felt shoehorned in as a means to get to this next dramatic moment that became rather repetitive for a viewer like me. And while the movie does clean things up and censor, there is still plenty of debauchery at hand, elements that become quite a chunk of the movie that chops up the momentum and keeps you in the black void of her music. The minimalistic relief from the depression, (especially if you don't enjoy her genre/style) alongside this scattered storytelling style, makes this movie feel slow and boring if you aren't ready for such character profiling.
The VERDICT:
Back to Black is a powerful character profile of a troubled story and the music that resonated from those troubles. With solid direction in the camera work, makeup, setting, and design, it's a window back to the past with a powerful actress to spearhead the storytelling. An artistic portrayal to maximize the emotion and make every number hold more than a simple reenactment of her numbers, which may resonate well with fans and similar stories. Yet, this biopic still does not hold the same entertainment value that other films had in the past. Winehouse's dark story is not going to be for everyone and the little relief from it with the scattered storytelling and incomplete numbers does not compensate enough for this film's tedious pacing. Thus, this movie may be best left to only her big fans to see in film (pending you can suspend the accuracy discrepancies), or better yet a home viewing.
My scores are:
Biography/Drama/Music: 6.5-7.0
Movie Overall: 5.5-6.0.
The Strangers: Chapter 1 (2024)
Strangers To A Lot Of Horror Elements, but A Solid Chapter Of Cinematography
LIKES:
Great Cinematography
Two Protagonists Who Aren't Complete Idiots
Some Suspenseful Moments
Loved The Use Of The Record Player
Good Pacing
Some Creepy
Summary:
Strangers is a simpler film than other slashers, but that's not always bad. This movie thrives in great cinematography to keep the movie dynamic, choosing engaging shots and angles to give you the best immersion experience. I found the shadows, the shading, and the order of the shots building on most moments, and helping add to the suspenseful moments that surprised me in this movie. Even more compelling were the protagonists, two people who aren't clear airheads or idiots who are fighting for survival. I always enjoy having better characters than the typical fodder with acting to convey the true pain and terror in their fight against the silent antagonists. Director Harlin has used fantastic cinema techniques to help add some creepy atmosphere at times without going too out of the way, alongside some haunting use of music that works on multiple layers to elicit the emotions and terror of these crazed killers.
DISLIKES:
Not Scary
Not As Engaging As The Last Movie For Me
Limited Action/Antagonistic Development
World Building is Limited
Maybe Needs Some Closer Calls
The Ending is A Tad Bloated
SUMMARY:
The movie may have a lot of entertainment value, but it still hasn't stuck out as one of the most unique or haunting films. Our band of Strangers has moments, but the movie's first chapter is rather tame, mediocre, and lacking a lot of world-building or engaging design that many might be hoping for. It's not scary for much of the film if you have experience with this genre, nor does the silent walking and bobbing in the woods make for the most engaging threat. While there are some close calls, the toying drops this suspense quickly and there aren't as many engaging tactics to try and outwit these experienced murderers. And even the world-building is mundane in terms of any meaningful lore or explanations. I get this series is not known for that, but for a reboot, this was the time to start instilling more to the masked culprits to add something. And after all the limited close calls and combats, a bloated ending extends the film by an extra twenty-five minutes with only the last five holding meaning for a set up for the next installment.
The VERDICT:
The Strangers' first chapter in the reboot is okay. It's not the worst movie to come out for me, but it needs to take some chances and some storytelling to help add more to this series. , Balancing out the suspense and adding some lore could do wonders to take the strong cinematography work to the fullest effects and give our already strong antagonists some extra fight. This movie could be a fun night out, but I think it's a better night in for a time killer as the suspense is not enough for seasoned viewers of the horror/thriller/slasher cavalcade.
My Scores:
Horror: 6.5
Movie Overall: 6.0.
IF (2024)
IF you want an Emotional PUnch, IF Is Where It Is At!
LIKES:
Cute
Good Acting/Voice Work
Fantastic Animation/Editing Blending
Deep Character Dives
Great Soundtrack
Relevant To Some
The Third Act Is Where It Shines
Summary:
IF's strengths lie in good acting and writing to convey a cute and deep story that will really strike a chord in those with relatability to the content. The characters have a lot of soul-searching and dive into their psyche, with fantastic guidance that fits into the story and never feels too preachy or exaggerated. Krasinksi continues to impress me with how he can integrate such things and not let it become the whole movie and how natural it feels when the material relates to you. Especially in the third act, where everything comes together in a stellar combination of emotions, comedy, and music that had me tearing up at times. Aside from the storytelling, IF is also impressive in the graphics, feeling much like Roger Rabbit, but with more 3-D animation that moves fluidly, is cartoony in design, creative in execution, and maintains that cuteness. Add in a fun soundtrack and a few fun "numbers", and you round out the likes with a production value I like to see in movies.
DISLIKES:
Not As Funny
Many Characters are Voice Cameos only
Some Plots That Need More Finesse
Boring And Aimless For Much Of The Acts
SUMMARY:
This movie looked to be something that kids and kids at heart would dive into and come back every day to watch. And they still might. However, IF feels a little limited in how adult this movie is and how lacking in the younger audience tropes that Hollywood studios thrive on. Comedy is limited and sometimes a bit overhead, lacking slapstick or repeated lines that annoy parents. Those characters I mentioned before may have good design and animation but are not present in most movies outside of Blossom and Blue. These plots they introduce are cute and corky, but they are very truncated until the end and hastily wrapped up with the emotional third act. Krasinki's direction is deep, but I feel that this film has a lot of edits that tore up the direction and pacing of the story feel a tad aimless, which without the emotional connection, may be boring and tiresome for younger audiences or those looking for a Ryan Reynolds comedy knockout.
The VERDICT
I found this movie to hold much quality in the emotions that it churned up, (the first movie to make me tear up in about two years). IF is charming and endearing with kid qualities that make it family-friendly and not too scary with their top-notch animation and editing that made these relationships so much fun and believable. Acting-wise, the movie is quality promised by the cast, though much of the group are mere cameos and one-liners before their stories go away. And alongside the lack of a direction at times, nor the typical Reynolds' humor, this trek to the third and powerful act may not be for everyone. Thus, those ready for an emotional comedy should hit theaters, while those wanting to wait and test at home are encouraged to do so with this movie.
My scores are:
Animation/Comedy/Drama: 8.0 (primarily for animation/drama)
Movie Overall: 7.0-7.5.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)
A Kingdom Of Potential and Quality
LIKES:
Spectacular Animation
Great Sound Editing
Fantastic Writing/Dialog
Wonderful world-building Story
Acting Is Beautiful
Very Deep And Sets Up Lots Of Plots
Summary:
The start of the likes involves the production quality that Ball's team brought to the screen. Kingdom's animation is beautiful, motion capture at its finest with a blend of reality and CGI coming together in ways that may not completely erase the line between worlds, but make it miniscule. The characters hold many astounding details, movements captured in surprising accuracy, textures that change as they are affected by the environment, and emotions that somehow blend humans and apes into one. Accompanying the visuals are sound effects and editing, and come together to bring out that primal fury that comes with every grunt, groan, and roar of the dominating forces. The sounds are not distracting, but rather accessories that help convey each person's emotions, which supports the strong writing packed into this film.
Past the production quality, the story is impressive for a first installment into the next trilogy of this movie franchise. Kingdom is a world-building movie bridging the audience to the next arc of this franchise as they shape the direction of this franchise. They present elements of the old to remind us of the previous trilogy but never get lost in the past to distract the movie from Noa's quest to explore the world. The writers made Kingdom its own film, building from the foundation to make something that can be an exciting trilogy depending on the sequels to come. A deep narrative that explores so much and integrates these pieces into a movie that flowed and came off natural as the next wave of evolution occurred, bringing with it several plots to pursue in the next installment. The dialog carries a lot of the film in the philosophical debates of existence, humanity, and character, yet seldom got caught up in corny monologues or soap opera temper tantrums. And the actors and actresses who spoke those words were true testaments to their trades. I won't call out individual names, but human and ape actors had such chemistry and conveyed the tension between the two species and their beliefs. Assuming they were the ones acting in the motion capture suits, the actors certainly showed off their physical and verbal performances to match the magnitude of the animation effects.
DISLIKES:
Long
Slow AT Times
Needs Some Action Like The Prequels
William H Macy Needed More Involvement
A Tad Predictable.
Where The Plot Will Match
SUMMARY
The movie is long and at times it did feel like it was two-and-half hours with where it dragged (especially during the transitions between acts). That slow aspect was tough at times as we meandered through the dialog that we had heard several times by that point was annoying, but tolerable and fortunately not as frequent as I've seen in other movies. A bit of action could have helped mitigate some of these time-dilation moments and spice things up as Rise of the Planet of the Apes did for me. Sure, some moments are exciting, but the centuries have dampened the action a bit and require another movie to potentially get to the action that had me smiling in delight. Outside of that, the movie's plot has a lot of predictability in the foreshadowing dialogue and focused scenes. Nothing that destroys my enjoyment of the character development, but again could have used just a tad more surprise to bring that wow factor. William H. Macy could have had a more engaging character arc as well, given the potential they were building with him, but alas his character had more of a metaphorical use than I would have liked. Finally, the plot is exciting with the vast directions they can take with the story, but at the same time, I'm not quite sure where or how it will connect to the first movie that started it all. Is that a bad thing? I guess it depends on the type of fan, but the fact there are still plenty of years between them offers some leniency. Still, very interesting with the vague direction where we can go.
The VERDICT:
The latest movie of Planet Of the Apes is a wonderful promise of an engaging, character-driven story that will be worth the investment in the future. A solid focus on storytelling and worldbuilding, Kingdom establishes a fracture point to take the series into a new direction that may never cross the original, and does so with a deeper lore than I had anticipated from the trailers. With great dialogue, writing, and acting to sell it, this movie really shines in the quality of a believable relationship between man and ape that is intriguing to watch. As for the production quality, it is a prime specimen of Hollywood evolution that I hardly encourage to be seen in theaters, preferably Imax, for the fantastic visuals and high-definition sound. Sure I myself wanted more action to help speed up and handle the longer run-time of the movie, and perhaps some better use of some actors. Yet, that's about all I can point at for this film and feel this is a solid film to see:
My scores are:
Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi: 7.5-8.0
Movie Overall: 7.0.
Tarot (2024)
The Cards Point To Okay Movie
LIKES:
The Pacing For Entertainment Purposes
Creature Design
The Card Design
The Atmosphere Setting
The Acting Is Fine
The Comedy To An Extent
The Story Is Better On Some Parts
Summary:
Tarot's strengths come in finding new monsters to bring to life and putting them in a means to maximize that design. The cards held illustrations that were chilling, simple pictures with shading and craft that were menacing, disturbing, and a nightmare-inducing illustration that served as a proper gateway to the horrors at hand. When the beasts arise, most are quite chilling and very interesting, a blend of nostalgia and terror that at times was very fitting and other times a bit kiddier, but certainly memorable. Whatever the avatar, our directors brought an atmosphere they played well in, with the modern setting offering plenty of venues to pursue our "heroes" and test their fate. Once the story starts to find some "deeper" qualities, the pairing of the creatures with the kids holds a little more bite and adds some more purpose and drive.
Monsters aside, Tarot is a PG-13 pacing that works to entertain and get you in and out of the theater in the shortest time. It doesn't get too deep in plots, avoids getting too convoluted with the explanations, and leaves the horror elements to do most of the lifting with the loud visuals. Acting-wise, the cast is very pretty and plays the college collaboration well. They can scream, doubt, complain, and banter with the best of them, though they were funnier than some of the movies I've seen with a young cast. Batalon in particular had me cracking up, his style from Spiderman carrying over to a more stubborn and jerk nature that somehow works on many levels for viewers like me. The others have some heart and design that I rooted for them and had only wished for more time to get to know them
DISLIKES:
The Suspense Doesn't Last
Not Scary
Characters Can Be Annoying
The Story Needs Work
The CGI Comes Off Corny At Times
Many Scenes Ruined By The Trailer
Cheesy In The End
Summary:
With all that said, the movie fails to live up to the hype of the trailers on many levels for this reviewer. For one thing, the film is not scary. I don't think it's the PG-13 rating as some will blame, and I have to account for my desensitization to being scared by these movies. However, the movie doesn't have enough build-up, teasing, and tactics to make it scary and utilize the horrors to the fullest extent. In addition, most of the moments hold little suspense, quick bouts drowned out by comedy, or cheesiness that felt robbed by editing. Some of the characters did have those elements, there just needed to be something more to accomplish the full effect of what they were going for. And though the designs are good, the CGI effects become too fake for my liking, and could have used some live-action moments to help spice up the bland animation. It's not horrible, but it has enough fake look that some of the horrifying designs were better left on the cards than in real life. Throw in that many of the scenes have already had a lot of showcasing in the trailer and the edge is further dulled by over-presenting.
In terms of the other areas, the story is again okay. Some elements do work when they try to put some layering on their characters and give them some emotions beyond terrified and disbelieving. When the origin story appears, again there was some decent presentation and building I enjoyed and the potential to find solutions to their problems. That potential was lost in my opinion. Any story and engaging plots again weakened by the pace and CW antics that just didn't deliver the horror punch that other movies have done better. Many of the characters started annoying and remained annoying, making them more cannon fodder than engaging to watch. Not the actor's fault at all, but just shallower characters that needed a lot more time and details to thrive. Sadly, in the end, the movie cuts out what little thrills are left for a very emotional, teenage drama, that uses words and some cop-outs to finish the tale. It's not the worst, but again just fell flat from the build-up I had hoped would come after a slow middle trek.
The VERDICT:
Tarot accomplished much in the PG-13 department and came out feeling like an Are You Afraid Of The Dark Episode with a bigger budget. Its low levels of scare are brought out mostly by some creepy designs and a shadowy atmosphere than anything else. The cast does its best with writing that is very linear and full of comedic relief, but with enough lines to help give some depth. Sadly, the scares, the plot, the characters, and the suspense are very diluted by the pacing and atmosphere of this movie. A series by Netflix would have been key, with 9-10 episodes to give it everything allow more play with the story, and give this talented cast more time to shine. That or perhaps have fewer kids and a more creative solution or two to fight fate. Either way, the movie's theater-quality lies in design and shadows, but the rest is best seen from the comforts of your home. My scores for this film are:
Horror: 6.5
Movie Overall: 6.0.
The Fall Guy (2024)
Fall Head Over Hells For The Fall Guy
LIKES:
The Acting
The Music
The Action
The Dog
The Process/Presentation
The References/Easter Eggs
The Comedy
Summary:
The Fall Guy is a movie that plays so well with the themes of Hollywood movie crafting and the tribulations that come with it in a sincere (yet ridiculous) way. Production-wise, the movie accomplishes the task of making a comedy, romance, drama, mystery, and action come together in an amalgamation of unlikely aspects. This Frankenstein-like plot works though, keeping each piece engaging enough and seldom breaking out of the entertaining presentation it's working with. Musical selections were on point, many amazing tracks that sum up the mood and bring those momentous moments to life blared on the speakers alongside the hyperbolic sound effects theaters thrive on. Action scenes are campy and fun, but yet hold the same choreography and feel as the movies they are parodying, helping to tone down the comedic overtones and keep the movie exciting to watch. The comedy itself is a diverse deck of styles for all to enjoy, slapstick moments of ludicrous moves and injuries, catchphrases and running gags that are spaced out and utilized in the plot decently well, and even the dog's utilization had my theater hollering with laugher. What's the secret? It's the fact that they encompass so many tropes, stereotypes, and gimmicks of Hollywood, integrate them into the story, and balance their utilization to help bring all the moments and give an extra kick to the normal styles. Plus, a bonus comes in the form of all the references to movies, shows, and Hollywood dramas they incorporate that will serve as a little game for viewers.
All of these aspects are done well with a talented cast of extras and the leading actors/actresses that take much of the center stage. My shout-outs to actors Hannah Waddingham and Winston Duke, who stole the show with their performances and gave eccentric secondary characters that played well with the leads. Taylor-Johnson is solid in this film, and his idiocy plays a staple in this movie that he continues to pull off well, reminding me of his Kick-Ass roles in how he presented the material. Blunt's performance is as stunning as ever with the range of characters she can play. Playing a lovestruck director with a chip on her shoulder, she pulls the pettiness to a favorable role, but then brings that strength and confidence when she is shouting directions and taking charge of the scene. Gosling is the star of the show though, the center of the web to which all branches spring from. His chemistry with Blunt alone is amazing, but the star interacts with everyone and hits that exaggerated emotion to the point of being entertaining, but not straying too far to the annoying level. I loved all his roles sort of emerging in this part, some elements of Ken that then transfer to his Notebook days, but then goes to the intensity of his Drive days. He's like a Swiss army knife, equipped with lots of tools to bring to this hodge-podge film and I liked it.
DISLIKES:
More Emily Blunt Like At The End
Predictable
Perhaps Needed A Few More Interludes
A Tad Too Crazy And Long At The Final Action Sequence
It's Focus May Be Restrictive
Summary:
My dislikes will be very nitpicky, but I'm trying to give objective elements that might limit the enjoyment of the audience as a whole. For one thing, Emily Blunt does have adequate screen time, but I felt at parts she needed more use and integration for being one of the top-billed names. The ending makes up for it, and it does work for the story, but I just felt something was missing in her inclusion in the middle section of the movie. The story as well didn't need to be as predictable as it was. Perhaps this was another comedy element that the director was shooting for, but for the mystery element, I'd have liked a little more depth to the mystery as we tried to figure out the secret of the scenario.
In terms of presentation, the movie may have needed a few interludes to help calm things down and give a bit more of the romantic teasing we saw earlier in the film. Perhaps more filming of the movie, or maybe another addressing of the past, something to help add a little more to the romantic element in the middle of the movie and strengthen it (giving Blunt more time). In addition, the ending action moments match the insanity of this film, but perhaps veered a tad too off the path. Sure, I was laughing and enjoying the cute little plan to tie everything together, but this was where the action, comedy, and romance moments cracked a bit and became overdone to the point of adding unnecessary bloat. Finally, the very thing I enjoy, the cinematic history, references, and Hollywood elements, may also be restrictive to others who don't know all the referenced material. While this may inspire people to research the references, it may also be an annoying distraction to see such devices executed and detract from the stereotypical action/love formula. Two of my friends made this very comment, so this movie may not be as wide-reaching as you might think.
The VERDICT:
The Fall Guy turned out to be much more fun than I was expecting it to be. To combine so many elements into a cohesive movie, I certainly enjoyed the presentation for much of the film, with so many references to a world I've invested much time in and how much fun they had with the material. This movie also gives enough of each element to satisfy most fans, and to do so much in about two hours is a feat that I find impressive given the current state of affairs. Many should enjoy the acting granted by the performances, with the chemistry and cast being a tad inconsistent, but certainly optimizing their time when on screen. Is this film perfect? Not by any means. The story is predictable, the antics get farfetched and there are still some balance issues that need more time to hammer out. Yet, these aside, The Fall Guy is another fun time that is maximized by being at the theater and enjoying the effects in full glory. I suggest this one for many audiences to have a night out to see.
My scores:
Action/Comedy/Drama/Romance/Mystery: 8.0-8.5
Movie Overall: 8.0.