2023 Watches

I'm not a fan of the first Avatar, so imagine my surprise when I really liked this movie. There's a lot to like there - the story is engaging, the action is exciting and well-filmed, and the visuals (especially in 3D) are incredible. I found myself glued to the screen, even when I didn't fully understand what was happening, due to the absolutely amazing visuals. I am so happy I saw this in 3D, and even if I didn't see it in 3D, there's so much to enjoy here in terms of great action and visuals, that I'm sure I would've enjoyed this in 2D regardless. The acting and plot was much better this time around, and while this is by no means a 10 out of 10 movie, I am so happy I went to see this, and this was a great way to ring in the new year.
01/01/23

This movie was amazing. There is very little that I didn't like about it (my only real complain is how one character is seemingly unrealistically mean). Brendan was incredible, and the emotional plot had me and my friends crying multiple times. The performances are mostly incredible, and I found the very human, empathetic story to be one that is truly worth watching. I really liked this, and I can't believe that critics rated it as poorly as they did. I loved this, and I can't wait to watch it again.
01/03/23

This was on Disney Plus. I liked this show because I hold such intense nostalgia toward the original movies - Tim Allen is incredible, and there is just so much sweetness and entertainment value to be had here. That said, I don't think this was an incredible show, as it feels like a soft-reboot of The Santa Clause 3, and also this show just kind of feels worthless. Not much goes on or happens, and what does happen feels incredible light and fluffy. That said, for a Christmas/holiday show, it was still very fun and silly, and even though I wouldn't call this show good, I would say that I had a good time watching it during the holiday season. So, I am really looking forward to season 2, and I am even looking forward to watching this season again. (I also loved the callbacks to the movies, complete with a few characters here and there making cameos!)
01/05/23

This was a fun movie (though I would've enjoyed it more if the people next to me weren't so annoying and texting and talking the entire movie). This movie would've been better if it was rated R with more blood and gore, but for what it was, it was campy and comedic and had a lot of fun, as well as some real charm due to the performance of the Megan character. I wish this movie would've been more violent and terrifying, but the campy tone it had was still really fun, and I am genuinely looking forward to buying this and watching it at home.
01/06/22

I liked this movie a lot more than when I originally saw it back in the day in 2016. The action isn't the greatest thing I've ever seen, but it is fun to watch, and the movie was interesting enough to keep my interest and keep me engaged. While the movie is obviously low in budget, it is still fun in a cheesy, campy sort of way, and if I had to re-rate it, I'd give it a 6 or 7 out of ten on entertainment value alone.
01/07/23

Saw this on Netflix. This is a fun film - I obviously really liked it when I first saw it, as I rated it a 10. Upon a rewatch I wouldn't rate it that high, but as someone who enjoys black jack and films about gambling, I did still find a lot to like here, especially as the movie deals with college students - another type of demographic that I enjoy watching in my movies. Kevin Spacey was incredible here, and while this movie wasn't as amazing as I thought it was on first viewing, I still had a really fun and enjoyable time with this, and would rate it a 7 or 8 upon rewatch.
01/07/22

This movie is much better than the first - there is maybe a little less action, but the action is 100% better in every way - bloodier, more exciting, and the whole movie is just a lot more fun, even though there is really three main action sequences/set pieces. Simon West is a great action director, and this movie is just really fun, with a great fun tone to it that also doesn't take away from the seriousness. My 10/10 rating may be too high - as I rated it when I first saw it back in the day in 2012 - but as an action movie, this is really fun and I'd re-rate it maybe a 7 or 8.
01/09/23
Second Watch: 09/25/23 - after watching "The Expendables 4," I've been rewatching the other movies, and man oh man is this still a fun watch. It might have slightly less action than the first, but the action is miles better, with more blood, more excitement, and more creativity. This isn't the most action packed movie of all time, but it's still so much fun to watch - to enjoy these movies you have to love these actors, and I just love these actors - these movies are like comfort movies to me, and I had a great time rewatching this on 4k Blu-Ray after a few glasses of whiskey.

Watched this on Hulu. This was an enjoyable enough, but pretty unremarkable show. I thought the plot was interesting, and I liked the use of flashbacks and the overall progression and story it decides to tell, but I do think that, overall, the show was slightly bland. While the true story is undoubtably horrific, this show just felt sort of middling, with not many standout moments. Each episode was about an hour, but they felt much longer than that due to the borderline snails pace. That said, as someone who finds LDS culture and the Mormon religion endlessly fascinating, I probably got more out of this show than someone who doesn't have an interest in that topic - the show goes so deep into Mormon history and culture that I can imagine it alienating most viewers; I, however, found it al very interesting to watch, if unremarkable and unexciting. I am a fan of Andrew Garfield, and his struggle as a faithful LDS man who is thrust into a world he has never known before was interesting; watching his faith be challenged was intense, at parts, and Andrew is a great actor and portrayed it well - however, even with that said, I still don't really think he had any standout, memorable moments, and neither did the show as a whole. And unfortunately, that's the thing - if I had to describe this show in one word, it would be: unmemorable.
01/12/23

This movie was surprisingly intense - the trailer was really cheesy, but imagine my surprise when actual movie was a very high quality production. Really great drama, an intense plane crash sequence - the movie does slow down a bit after the plane crashes, but it picks right up and delivers a really exciting final 45 minutes just packed with action and suspense. Gerard Butler is great here, and I just can't get over how well directed this movie was - I'll even say that I was a fan of the handheld, shaky camera here, as it wasn't overbearing and it felt very natural and added to the intensity. This was a good film!
01/14/23

A very okay film. The action is very tame, uninspired, and bloodless due to the PG-13 rating - none of it is memorable, and none of it es very exciting; at the least, the action is slightly entertaining, but very neutered and distracting due to the lack of blood and gore. However, this movie was the funniest out of the 3, with the most entertaining cameos, and the best villain - Mel Gibson was fantastic here, and he absolutely steals the show and is worth watching this movie for. Antonio Banderas was also entertaining enough. I hated all the new characters, but all of the classic action heroes we know and love were great, and Stallone was particularly good here as well. That said, the more watered down action really dragged this movie down, and it's by no means as good as the first two.
01/16/23

Rewatch started on 09/26/23 - finished on 09/27/23: Honestly, this isn't a good film. It's fine and okay, but the action is horrible filmed and edited, and is extremely incomprehensible. The fact that the movie focuses on the new actors makes it almost indefensible, with the entire 2nd act of this movie being as boring as possible. However, Sly, Statham, Snipes, and Gibson are all good - Banderas is especially entertaining as well. I just can't defend how poorly filmed the action is, tho - that makes this movie so, so poor. It's an okay movie, but when rewatching the films, I think I'll stick to 1, 2, and 4 - clearly the superior films in the series.

I was literally on the edge of my seat from beginning to end of this movie. I didn't think this was the greatest film of all time, but god was it thrilling. The acting wasn't the greatest, and I did find a large majority of the movie to be more enjoyable if you suspend your disbelief, but other than that I don't have many complaints. I thought this was absolutely suspenseful and unpredictable, and I cannot wait to buy this and watch it again.
01/19/23

2nd watch on 03/13/23 - I watched this on Amazon Prime with my mom and liked it even more the second time; this movie is edited to perfection, with such a great style and soundtrack to it that just gets your blood pumping. All the twists and turns work so well, and watching it when you already know what's happening really enhances the experience - you pick up on so much. I just really love this movie, and even after a 2nd watch I can't wait to see it a third time.

I rented this on Amazon Prime; while I love Al Pacino, I honestly wasn't a huge fan of this movie. I mean, it was okay, but it wasn't necessarily my cup of tea. The story didn't really resonate with me that much, and I honestly found Chris O'Donnell to be a pretty poor actor. I loved Phillip S. Hoffman, however, and obviously Pacino was good - not as great as I've seen him be - but good. I just found the plot to be a little lackluster, and I really wasn't a fan of the whole "Did you see these people do this thing" plotline, as I really didn't think it fit into the overarching plot of the film very well. That said, I'm glad I finally watched this movie, even if I wasn't a huge fan. That said, I was pretty intoxicated when watching this movie, to be quite honest, which may have effected my impression of it, so I fully plan on watching this again during the year to see if my opinion on it changes.
01/20/23

I watched this with my parents on HBO Max - my pick for movie night since I haven't seen it in years, and honestly, we really enjoyed it. It wasn't necessarily action packed, but it was really suspenseful and a lot of fun. Seeing Stallone in action trying to plan jail heists was really cool, and watching both him and Arnold on screen together was an absolute joy to watch. The movie is by no means filled with great action, but I found the overall premise and plot fun enough, and Stallone and Arnold endlessly entertaining - this is literally brainless fun, and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I was never bored, and that's more than I can say for a lot of movies.
01/22/23

I watched this on Netflix before it was removed on Jan. 31 - I haven't seen it since I saw it in theatres when it was originally released, and I decided to watch it because I've been in the mood for cheesy action films. I don't remember being a huge fan of this when it released, due to the relatively small amount of action in this when you consider the overall run time, but upon a rewatch, I found it entertaining enough knowing what I was getting into. Yes, there's only about 10 real minutes of action in this movie, but man oh man does it deliver with all the violence, gore, and brutality of a horror film - it's about what you'd expect from a Rambo film, and it's glorious. I also just really enjoy Stallone, and seeing him in action, even outside of action scenes, is really fun. The movie has a twist that I really didn't expect, and while the plot is pretty generic and nothing we haven't seen before, for a Rambo action movie, it delivers pretty much what you want - I only wish there was much more action in the movie, but the sheer brutality of the action does make the long build up pretty worth it. For what this is, I enjoyed it, and plus, I was in the mood for it, which probably made me enjoy it more than I should have.
01/22/23

I watched this on Netflix since it was going to be removed on Jan. 31, and plus, I've been on a bit of a Stallone kick lately, trying to relive the good old days when I first started watching his films back in middle and high school. This is probably, besides First Blood, the best Rambo film, and I really enjoy it. It's brutal, it's intense, it's dark and angry, as it should be, as that's who Rambo is. This movie literally doesn't hold back, and it's a wonder it has an R rating and not an NC-17. Stallone is amazing here, playing Rambo to perfection, and I really like the story this movie decides to tell - it's story and drama forward. And of course, when the action hits, it hit as hard as a freight truck, packed with enough blood and gore to make Jigsaw weep. This is a really fun action movie, and a really dramatic, intense one, and this is a must see for all Rambo fans - this is one of my favorite action movies without a doubt.
01/23/23

Hated it. Beyond boring. This isn't a movie - it's a random collection of shots. I didn't enjoy this at all, and I have my complete thoughts in my full review. I saw this in theatres with two friends and they found themselves scared, but I just found myself bored - I will never watch this again.
01/24/23

Hated this movie. A 5 is generous when I originally rated it, and I would rate it lower upon rewatch. The dialogue is absolutely atrocious, the action is practically nonexistent and, when there is action, it's not well directed. David Ayer is just an awful director in almost every regard. The characters are also horrifically unlikable, and as much as I loved Arnold, even his character was just bizarre in here. It is obvious that his character was gonna go one way and studio interference made him go another, due to the convoluted and confusing story. Just a really awful, confusing mess of a movie that I will 100% never watch again, it's irredeemable.
01/25/23

Ehhhh, I may have been too generous with my original rating of 7 when I first saw this. Honestly, I don't really like this movie. There is not much action - sure, there are some shootings (the opening scene, for example), but it doesn't really equate to action. There is a good fight out with Stallone in a bathtub where he definitely hits hard, and there's of course the final fight, but none of it is really impactful or memorable, and the story is just pretty lame, with a bunch of random nudity that just felt unnecessary. Also, the movie just looked all around cheap with bad direction. Yeah, I just didn't really like this one, as much as I like Stallone, and as entertaining as he was to watch.
01/25/23

This movie was actually really entertaining, with high quality direction, acting, and a pretty engaging, if basic, story. There are a good amount of action scenes throughout, even if Arnold doesn't really get into the action until the end, but the wait is 100% worth it - the last 40 minutes are really fun, filled with great, high octane, and bloody shootouts - yes, this movie is over the top bloody, but I loved it. This movie also is just really fun - it doesn't take itself seriously at all which I loved. This is just a really fun movie, and I really enjoyed it.
01/27/23

This was actually a pretty good movie. More of a drama than an action film, I originally watched this back when it came out in 2014 (when I was in college), and so I decided to rewatch it with my parents since we are rewatching a bunch of action movies together. And this actually was good. It didn't have a ton of action, but Denzel Washington is just incredible here - he's an effortless actor - and he just elevates this movie so much, adding so much intensity and coolness to the drama and the action. This isn't an action heavy film, but I didn't mind because of how absorbed I was in the drama. I didn't originally like this movie too much when I first saw it due to the fact that it isn't action heavy, but since I knew what to expect this time around I enjoyed it much more. Chloe Grace Moretz is also amazing here, and I wish she was in it much more. Overall, this is a good movie, made even better due to Denzel. I would definitely watch this again, and I'm excited to watch the sequel.
01/28/23

This was an okay film - it was thrilling at times, but for a large majority of it, it just felt like two women sitting on top of a really tall building. It does have its moments for sure, but as a whole I thought this was just okay - it did have me on the edge of my seat a few times, but I didn't find this spectacularly thrilling like I thought I would.
01/29/23

I actually enjoyed this more than I thought I would. It's immediately forgettable (as in you'll literally forget you watched it as soon as the credits roll), but while you're watching this, it's pretty fun. The Rock has an interesting twist about his character that adds some needed vulnerability, and the whole movie looks pretty cool in terms of visuals and direction - I really liked the look of the skyscraper, as well, and it was fun exploring the interior during the movie. There is some good action here too, with the first fist fight being the standout. The rest of the action in terms of fighting and shootouts isn't handled as well as it was during the first fight, but seeing The Rock traverse the burning building and trying to save his family was entertaining. This isn't anything fantastic, but it's fun while it lasts.
01/29/23

Besides the ending, I really enjoyed this movie. Gerard Butler is so incredible here - charismatic and diabolical - and watching him just play this villain who is always two steps ahead of everyone is so much fun. This movie is really clever, and just a straight up thrill ride from beginning to end.
01/29/23

I think I enjoyed the first one more, but I still liked this movie. It had probably less action than the first, and I feel like it felt more random and less focused - the first movie had a better throughline with Chloe Grace Moretz's character. That said, Denzel is still amazing here, as always, with plenty of show stealing scenes, and the action, when it hits, is entertaining, I just wish there was more of it.
01/30/22

I enjoyed this movie for the most part. Mia Goth and Alexander were amazing, and the movie was intriguing, if unbelievable. I really liked the movies and the visuals, as well. I do think this movie could've been better if they really leaned into the premise of people being able to do whatever they wanted consequence free, but for what this is I had a good time with it and will definitely buy it on Blu-Ray.
01/31/22