rgkarim

LIKES:

The Music Choices

The Silliness At Times

Comedic Timing Gold At Times

Acting Is Okay

The Look And Feel of the 90s

The Message

Summary: The likes start with the acting, a cast pulled into a ridiculous movie, and somehow going with the flow of the ludicrous script. Dennison owns the idiotic spirit of youth and yearns to be popular, using an accent with razor precision and dancing like everyone's watching. Zegler does her best to deliver that silly humor, but I found her better in the serious performances and vulnerability to drive some character development and only ingrain the silliness when needed. And Martell is a blend of both: one part awkward humor as he tries to go against the societal caste of high school and one part relevant nerd trying to do the right thing. The chemistry is jumbled, but surprisingly, it works well to craft what would probably be a realistic portrayal of kids vs. The end of the world. Amongst the acting, the movie utilizes the actors to deliver silliness to a dark, though sometimes humorous, level as odd one-liners, crappy trash talk, and nostalgic burns flood the screen. I, for one, found some of the comedic timing perfect, the writers finding those opportunities to drive the comedy to the fullest potential.

Where Y2K reigned supreme for me is the look of the movie. A heavy investment in nostalgia, A24 has put a lot of resources into bringing the end of the Millennium back to life and ensuring as much immersion as possible. The clothing styles are as varied as the high-school cliques, with hair, makeup, and accessories throwing back to the trend of the 90s. The cars, the televisions, the video stores, and modes of transportation are all well incorporated into the mix, utilized to the point that both mock and cherish the adventures adolescents had before screens took over. Even the devices that go bad are loaded with authentic designs of Mac computers, Tamagotchi devices, animatronic trinkets, and anything else you might have forgotten has a chip and is ready to deliver a memorable death to some unfortunate extra. In true A24 fashion, the movie uses all of this to help buffer the darker comedy while also finding a way to inspire with the messages loaded in this movie. One big message being about the terror of technological dependence and the unhindered evolution of technology that businesses are pushing. A tad cheesy at times, but A24 continues to find ways to spin their ideas into enjoyable and moving messages.

DISLIKES:

Plot Is Weak

Predictable

Blood Bath That Crosses Some Lines

Horrible Character Development

Rather Stupid Ending

Loses Any Horror Element

Lazy Language

Leans Too Hard Into The Humor

Summary: For all the good Y2K brings, the movie's unique direction may not be entertaining to a wider audience group. For one thing, the plot is weak, another contrived tale that wants to try many things but ends up becoming highly predictable in the amount of foreshadowing and cliché icons that they set up. There is a lot of suspense of disbelief in this movie, cheesy conveniences and off-camera moments that make the story feel disorganized and of secondary importance. The character development is weak, reducing most of the characters to a level found in most SyFy movies, where the characters try to be cool but often come out cheesy. This led to me not being invested in the characters that much, nor having time to ever build suspense for their survival, something I find important in a horror movie. Much of the horror element was very diluted for me, choosing instead to be more of a blood bath with the over-the-top kills that are drenched in dark comedy as much as they are blood. If you like the malice and mayhem of devices going postal on humans in a montage of gore, then you'll enjoy some facets of this movie, but for the truly terrifying close calls and thrill of survival, the movie fails to do much in that department. As the ending approached, things only got stupider for me, the language becoming even more bloated with R-rated language and the conventional plot devices concentrating more to give one of the stupidest and most lackluster endings I've seen in a while, despite the humor and running joke coming to fruition. Thus, my main dislike is that the movie leaned too much into the comedy element that the other elements sort of got lost to the massive amounts of teenage jokes and off-kilter humor.

The VERDICT:

Another notch in the ever-growing belt of A-24, Y2K proves to be more of a comedy than anything else. A twist on the nostalgic past of campy 90s movies, it's a movie that blends Bodies, Bodies, Bodies and a SyFy original film in an amalgamation of gore and crude humor. The visuals, acting, and perfectly timed references and comedic jokes are what thrive for me as I laughed and appreciated the clever transformation into the metallic beasts roaming the streets. Yet, the movie may have leaned too far into the comedy element to be a knockout victory for viewers like me. While the silliness brings some dark comedic finishes to the annoying group of characters, any horror elements are gone in the montage of mayhem. The story is not only predictable but filled with holes and contrived details, doing little to make me care for the characters as they were washed away by highly aggressive insults and more ridiculous integrations. Thus, if you are ready for stone comedy with a dark twist, this movie is going to reign supreme and be entertaining. If you want a horror with comedic elements blended in and some suspense, then skip this film and wait til it hits home streaming. My scores for the movie are:

Comedy/Horror/Sci-Fi: 7.5 Movie Overall: 6.0.

LIKES:

Animation

The Songs Are Cute

The Message Is Strong

New Characters Are Interesting

Humorous

Very Brisk Pace For Kids

Voice Acting

Funny/Fun

Clever Humor At Times

Summary Disney knows how to make an animated feature, which Moana 2 continues to show off. Their big budget has brought beautiful design and animation to the silver screen in that same style that captured our hearts long ago. Updated wardrobes, an expanding island, and the magnificent expanse of the ocean. Moana and her group have got more of that high-definition edge but never lose the cute style that we fell in love with Walt Disney Animation. This style is maintained through all the sailing, falls, and fights, always keeping the pulse on family-focused but upping the game a bit to have a little more bite than a mythological "epic" should have, as Riordan has proven in his books.

Past the obvious, Moana 2 is loaded to the nines with entertainment value for most audience members to enjoy. The songs are cute, styled in peppy pop numbers at one point, comedic pep raps at another, and almost that sea-shanty vibe at other times. Most of these are going to be drowned by the powerful ballad that has already flooded the airways, but they all work in some way to "advance" the story. It's humorous, loaded with plenty of comedic jokes and styles to appease a wide audience, with most adult humor very above most young audience members' heads. Those clever moments were my particular favorite, especially those breaking-the-fourth-wall jabs the writers got in at times, while I also enjoyed the references to the previous movie and the nostalgia it brought with it. Though the comedy is much of the backbone of this movie, there are still elements to help balance this film from being just another messy joke fest with limited story elements. There is a strong message of motivation and bravery against insurmountable odds and finding the same strength to find ways to solve problems. Sometimes, this movie hits that moment perfectly, the written dialogue and delivery with the timing to score that knock-out punch to deliver the full message. Ingenuity, lore expansion, and the modern-day messages are all trying to find their way in the water, but they are all there to help expand the characters somewhat to better avatars for facing the Disney adventures. The new characters introduced were... engaging enough and held potential from when they were recruited into Moana's journey. All of this fits within a very brisk pace that is perfect for those with short attention spans and a short run time alongside it.

Finally, the voice acting is spot on when you get time with the character. Cravalho has quite a range this time, even more than her first time in the waters, with fierceness, doubt, vulnerability, and motivation where it counts, delivering that same inspiring tone with engaging ferocity, confident words, and, at times a, relatable tone that offered comfort. Johnson may not have the same rivalry and showmanship in this role, but he replaces it with tenacity, emotional depth, and a surprising exposure that, at times, gave me the chills. Fortunately, he still has his shouting abilities to cut through the emotional times. As for Tudyk, he's got animal sounds down well and still knows how to give Hei-Hei that human quality that pairs well with the animation and planned stunts of the adaptable chicken (whose idiocy is still a running joke). The rest of the group did well when they got a chance to speak, and the little community of misfits had enough merit behind their voices to help draw attention to them and earned a few chuckles.

DISLIKES:

Some Jokes Got Stale

The Songs Are Okay

The Preachiness Gets Heavy-handed

The Impasses Are Again Kind Of Lame

New Characters Are Very Underdeveloped

The New Baddies Are Kind Of Lame

The New Little Sister Is Pure Kid and Cuddliness

Too Much In One Movie For The Short Time

Summary: In a kids' film, jokes are going to be overused, and corners are going to be cut to help get the giggles out. Some of the running gags lost their edge with me by the fifth iteration, and some of the other jokes were just not my style and lacked the creativity or placement that the other films did. The fun factor helped blunt this for me, and the brisk pace is more than adequate to minimize your exposure to the jokes.

The jokes are not the only thing that lost some of the shine. Moana 2's songs are, at times, fun and cute, but they lack a lot of the same spirit and wow factor that the first installment brought with the songwriter's talents from that film. A change in the musical direction was not killer to the movie, but the songs didn't have the best use in this movie nor the same pop that I had hoped would be present. Ironically, these are the moments that integrated the new characters the most, with the remainder split between comedic quips and the occasional actual skill set they were chosen to apply in the voyage (with the latter saved primarily for the end). This brings me to my next limitation with the movie: the characters. Moana was brilliant in limiting its characters to three main protagonists that the secondary characters worked with instead of against. Moana 2 pushed the envelope, with too many characters introduced and their application very limited and often pointless on most levels outside of humor. I was bored with them and their stale jokes, with character development as juvenile as the intended audience who will not care. Yet, with such a promising story and mythology to base that story around, I expected more integration and fewer shortcuts to just load the movie with that superficial flash in the pan. Even the new antagonists are a waste in this chapter, with only the last fifteen minutes bringing any impasse to the quest that is supposedly much harder than the first quest. Technically, they weren't right, but all the buildup was rushed, and the solutions diluted down to mere jokes or shallow incorporation of a plot element to get to the next phase. Even the little sister is limited to a confined niche of humor, with her cuteness and sassiness being adorable and a great medium for love, but not much past that. It's not that I'm heartless to such tactics, but I know there was more they could have done, but I felt shorted for the interest of time and making the message preachy in that Disney way. A strong message is present, but at times, it gets blasted in our faces by that same direct and overemotional method that Disney has become a fan of since about the mid-2010s. It's not the worst movie to do this, but I get tired of such antics when they are present in so many movies these days.

The VERDICT: Moana 2 is another beautiful dive into the Polynesian culture that blends Disney magic with the mythology of the culture. It's fun and mostly family-friendly (though cautious with sensitive children and loud sound delicate) that takes the familiar jokes and cuteness and loads it into the short run-time. The movie introduces enough new things to hook you in and make those motivational moments hit hard the way that Disney knows how to deliver. And as I have said, I did have fun and found that there was enough of the showmanship to be entertaining. However, the movie is not the masterpiece I had hoped it would be and felt very much like a Disney+ series condensed down into a short time limit. The characters are not as adequately used; the villains have more shimmer than bite, and the impasses are still too rapidly cleared due to the fast pace. It was way too much in one film for me, never hitting the most potential nor having the same wow factor and breathtaking value its prequel had. So many characters felt like gimmicks, reduced to mere comedy or song tokens before being overshadowed by the main two again. We have some foreshadowing and a mid-trailer teaser to show what is to come, but this movie felt very chopped up into a setup film that is semi-self-contained but shakily for this reviewer. Is it worth a trip to the theater? Yes, if you are the target audience and don't mind a very cramped and simpler family film. Worth 3-D? To be honest, it has potential with the way the scenes are designed, the colors, and some of the more exciting parts enough that 3-D could be enhanced by the glasses. With all this in mind, I give Moana 2:

Adventure/Animated/Family/Comedy/Musical/Family: 7.5 Movie Overall: 7.0.

LIKES:

Cinematography

Costumes/Setting

The Music

Sound Editing

The Performances

Another Look At Multiple Aspects

The Action To Some Degree

The Acting

Summary: Scott is a fantastic director for visuals and making things into reality that are often restricted to the imagination. Gladiator's scenes are beautifully captured in high film quality with sensational direction to help get the best angle at the right time. Paying attention to lighting without compromising my ability to see the screen, he brings emotion and authenticity to so many scenes, selling the internal thoughts and drives of the character. He finds optimum shots to help give a dynamic experience, almost transporting you from one patron to another and decorating the arena in a manner most choose to be stagnant with showing. Add in the authenticity of the setting/visuals, and you have a window into history during the peak of the Empire. Sure, many things have an artificial shine to them, but details in the settings are realistic enough to be appreciated as our characters act out another drama to behold. When it comes to the sounds, the complementary editing, effects, and orchestrating come together to grant that same epic feel that so many movies bring. The crunch of a jaw, the unsheathing of a sword, or the perilous destruction of an extra all explode in theater quality and make it worthy of seeing on the big screen.

Story-wise, the movie takes direction from its predecessor and focuses on giving the audience a little bit of everything regarding the time. Gladiator II grants one plenty of time with the Senate, seeing the various citizens in their approach to the events at hand that feel reminiscent of the play Caesar. Its complex dialogue and various involvement help paint another arena as various members navigate the ordeal laid out by the emperors. Meanwhile, our hero has his demons to face, the stage being both in and around the Colosseum, where he works to enact a heavy set of plans of his own doing. The two groups overlap well, and neither portion stands alone, a connectivity I think many will enjoy if you like the balance of politics and parrying. And to some degree, I liked the action of the film, finding some of the new elements fresh and invigorating amidst the familiar fisticuffs and slashing that the first movie made famous. The writers seemed to dig well into the historical archives for new inspiration, and these ideas were made possible by the technology Hollywood has focused on for the last two decades.

Yet, the acting is the thing that I find is the highest caliber of the film. Connie Nielsen reprises her role well, taking the helm as the confident woman helping to face the stagnant greed of the current regime. A balanced character with varying strengths and weaknesses that allowed me to invest my time as she navigated the labyrinth of politics and deceit. Mescal is the lead of this movie, and he reinvigorates the hero role with the same skill set as Crowe's Maximus but with new vigor and an energy that plays well to the story's continuation. He comes off a tad overaggressive at times, but he has a flair for speeches and banter that moved me or made me laugh when timed right. Pascal does his job well, and though not quite the level I thought he would be, he executed his lines to the same quality he always does and managed to get physical combat in that flows better than most these days. Yet, Washington is the champion for me in this movie. A complex role for a man who can make a complex performance come out with natural style, reliable balance, and a delivery worthy of his multiple awards. He wears the costumes well and wears the character even better, as his interactions require much more colorful emotions than I anticipated for this role. He plays each role so well and sadly needs more time to optimize every part of the plot, but the man knows how to take what he gets and work with it so well.

DISLIKES:

Semi-Bloated Movie

The Gladiator Focus Is Missing

Pointless "Brotherhood"

A Bit More Soap Opera Feeling

A Tad Contrived

The Action Is Under Par For me

Graphics Do Dip At Times

Summary: Scott struggles with several things in this movie for me, though, especially given the promises of the trailers for what this movie involved. A small element is that some of the graphical prowess fails at times and dips in quality, becoming obviously fake and artificial-looking. It's a semi-bloated movie, with the ending fourth of the film feeling sort of dragged out and long-winded as things start to come together. It's a darker part of the story and focuses more on politics than the action, leading to a lackluster climax that starts to feel half-baked and underdeveloped. The gladiator aspect from the first movie (and the title) is not as much focus as I anticipated. Sure, the hero's story gets focus, but that brotherhood, that navigation through the events, and the strategy are a fraction of the first film, leading to weaker investments into the other characters. They showed potential for getting to know these characters, but we don't learn their names, nor do they really get involved in any of the fights full-on. It leads to inconsistent use and less intriguing fights, with many of the battles looking great but lasting mere minutes and not having the cohesive choreography or planning as the first one did. The strategies are legitimate, and the feel is realistic, but the edge and the attachments are so minor that I struggled to feel the full intensity like that movie long ago. This is especially true with the naval battle moments and the climactic finale, all sort of pushed to the back to make way for more of the political turmoil that Scott seemed invested in pursuing. Without the distraction of battles, the story's plot starts to feel a bit washed out and contrived, the twists semi-shocking and the stretches of logic a tad eye-rolling, if I'm being honest. This leads to the movie feeling somewhat soap opera-like and returning to the drama origins of the theater rather, which I wasn't quite looking for when I strolled into the showing.

The VERDICT:

The return to the Colosseum is one rich in graphic prowess and cinematography that Scott continues to thrive on in his work. It's a beautifully shot and decorated film with plenty of aspects pulled together to bring Ancient Rome back to life. Amazing performance further helps give life to this movie and adopts a wonderful persona to make all facets of the scenario come to life. However, the movie is not necessarily the action epic you might expect, nor does it hold the same forte that Crowe's movie brought long ago. The action scenes look mostly good, but feel bland and tempered down without the same level of commitment or planning. There were other characters I wanted to know, but I feel they were just male models for the camera and doing very little in terms of combat and survival. Instead, the political drama and ego of the characters become the central focus and take up much of the time than the actual battles. For those who enjoy this historical endeavor, this film is for you to enjoy and strongly encouraged to hit the theater for the best experience possible. However, the contrived plot, bloated time frame, and lack of the full investment of action balancing with the politics was a tad too off for me to say this was the best movie of the year, as they called it in the trailers. Given all of this, my scores are:

Drama/Action/Adventure/Epic: 7.5 Movie Overall: 6,5-7.0.

LIKES:

The World Building

The Design

The Costumes

The Acting

The Pacing

The Energy

The Emotional Wow Factor

The Dance Numbers

The Musical Score/Music

The Respect For The Material With Some Twists

The Fun

Summary: A movie offers a means to take the impressive components of the stage and take them to a level conventional props cannot make come to life. Chu's vision is gorgeous and a big screen-worthy display of the power of his imagination. Solid sets mixed with computer animation craft the world described in the Oz literature and unleash them into the splendor and spectacle I always imagined Oz to be. From the stylish costumes that convey the classic world with a new age design to the grandiose cityscapes, Wicked's first part is everything modern that I love in a movie and helped immerse me so much into the world of a magical high school that conveys its emotions through music, dancing, and drama.

The performances are a big part of the show, as you know, and there were giant shoes to fill, given the powerful voices and acting that have preceded this film. For this reviewer (and his three friends), they accomplished much and made these performances their own, but never stepped on the established characters over the last two decades. Erivo hits much of Elphaba's qualities with powerful vocal ranges that fill the screen with a majestic prowess worthy of the Wicked cast. She brings much of that vulnerability and anger to the movie and shows the turmoil that arises and what it can be forged into for her character, truly spellbinding and engaging as the film continues to the climactic number. She may not completely capture the original sarcasm or dryness that comes with the green witch, but she still owns the role and gives her performance everything she can. Grande, on the other hand, is a delightfully wonderful Galinda, bringing the spoiled brat nature out in delightful charm and adding that flighty, airheaded giddiness the Good Witch is famous for holding. Complex sincerity arises, and she is allowed to build more up for the character with fantastic emotion that tangles with Erivo's performance to give the complicated relationship between the two future witches. Her mimicry of Chenowith is spot on at times, and though maybe not as sassy and bullying, she still captures enough of the spoiled girl to be hard to turn away from her delightful delivery of the lines. Their chemistry is unbelievable, and I was engrossed in what these two divas accomplished in bringing the characters to life and making them so emotionally complex.

As for the presentation, the movie shoots for the stars and reaches them by handling the story, or at least part 1 of it. Like the show, Wicked's film manages to add the energy of the stage show but gives its own energy with the additions of the movie. It respects the material, the dance numbers charming, delightful, and holding moments where I feel like I'm watching people jump about in choreographed displays. Yet, the movie also keeps to the emotional ties and the constant bouts of joy, sadness, and more that are balanced throughout the film and never so much to drag the movie into that slow crawl that dramas sometimes fall into when they get to the darker parts. Throw in the musical score and powerful musical ballads that are filled with the same majesty of the play, only now supported by those visual support structures that raise them to incredible heights. It shook the theaters with joy, cascaded the crowd with crazy ranges, unleashed the emotional torrents of the character to startling degrees, and brought the power of the stage with it. Such a balance between everything accomplishes an engaging pace that helps make the nearly three-hour run time feel shorter and never get too out of hand with the changes to bloat the movie too much. And that kind of fun is always welcomed by a reviewer like me when it is accompanied by quality.

DISLIKES:

Some Slow Moments

Some Okay Excess Material

Two Characters Not Bringing the Full Magic

Some Graphics Traipse To Less Impressive

Would Have Maybe Extended Some Other Stories

Summary: For all the good of this movie, I found only a few things that I felt took away from the film. As a warning, I have not seen the shows and am not a purist of the franchise, so the accuracy checks are something I leave to other reviews to determine how close this movie hit. My first dislike was that there were still some slow moments, extensions, or additions that didn't feel necessary for the level of detail and could have maybe been redirected to another story or character that might be a better use of the new direction. I felt a little robbed of Nessa's storyline, and though my friend said it matched close enough, I just felt this was the place to add a little more oomph to her tale with how tied she was to Elphaba's tale and her father that at first seemed to be a shadow looming around her. Two characters in particular that felt a tad limited and off were The Wizard and The Madame, both having their strengths of being jovial and ominous as the trailers expected and really capturing elements of them well. Yet, the two stars didn't quite get the full spectacle down, sometimes unable to break out of their stereotypical roles and other times not quite getting the full quirkiness and suave performance that they were trying. In the grand scheme, it is minimal secondary to the rest of the entertaining spectacle. Outside of some graphic trips here and there, the only other thing is that it doesn't quite capture the full show-stopping power of the play, but that order was going to be hard to accomplish given the differences between theater and film.

The VERDICT Though Wicked's first part might not be the theatrical show to the full extent, it does a fantastic job of bringing much of it to the screen. It respects the material and keeps the energy alive with stunning visuals, powerful musical performances, and the complex energy famous for Oz's prequel. Incredible performances by the leads in singing and acting are a solid core that supports all the components of the film, adding their own twists to the character but never to the point of obliterating the established personalities of these dazzling women. With a moving pace and enchanting energy, Wicked's movie is indeed a fun film worthy of the theater and perhaps in 3-D if you want that added detail to enhance the design of the world. True, there are some excess scenes and slower moments that could have been buffed with better storylines for other characters. Some of the actors could have tightened their performances or expanded outwards to help with getting the most out of the characters. Outside of that, this movie is certainly one of the better films of the year, and I encourage all to go out and see it, especially those who love powerful performances. I can say that purists are still going to find some qualms with the film, but if you can accept some of the new changes (some of which are very welcome for more reasons than one), you might just have a good time.

My scores are:

Fantasy/Musical/Romance/Drama: 9.0 Movie Overall: 8.5-9.0.

LIKES:

Funny Banter

Moving Pace

Little References to Other Holiday Movies

Fun Mythological works

Decent Acting

Creative

The Krampus

Surprisingly Heart Felt

SUMMARY: The movie is a buddy comedy wrapped in a Christmas package and loaded with some fun and funny moments to start the season on the right foot. Evans and Johnson have great banter work in this film, trading metaphorical blows as they each try to work together to take point in the mission. A dry security expert and a lackadaisical hacker are two very different personalities that work well to give the buddy humor, and I liked the twist they brought to the holidays with it. I found myself laughing several times at the lines, clever puns, witty insults, and some well-timed deliveries all assisted with increasing the comedy. Even more impressive, the movie manages to pull in comedy for all ages, though a caution as there are some very adult references that your kids might imitate. Outside of the fun, the movie moves at an engaging pace, chewing through the two hours without difficulty as they try to investigate the depth of Santa's conspiracy. Red One manages to integrate mythology and modern times into a Percy Jackson adventure full of clever references and ingrained lore that surprisingly fit better than they should. I particularly enjoyed how the movie also seemed to patch together several references to previous Christmas movies into one film; each component hybridized into a recognizable homage that still had its unique traits. The whole film is quite creative and makes for entertaining, popcorn-munching quality that still is surprisingly heartfelt with the messages at hand. Yes, it gets a tad cheesy, but I have to say that Red One managed to modernize the message about Christmas and add just that new-age mentality without falling into the modern-day agenda other films have found.

As a section on itself, I give props to the acting in this film and the commitment they made to a very odd movie like Red One. Johnson is the same man he often is, in this case, the stoic, no-nonsense, brute-force hero with the mission in mind and nothing more. He plays the rugged "action" role well and does little to escape from the stereotype he has placed himself in. Evans also plays his typical range, this one more of that haphazard and aloof demeanor with only sarcasm and rogue fun to break through the façade. He will, of course, have some changes in the movie, but it's nothing new and perfect for the broad audience the movie is trying to appeal to for these primary ratings. Liu sort of falls back to her 90s roles again, never extending past her intense stares and very monotone emotion, which again fits the bill for the head of a government organization. She has a few moments to break through the hard-as-stone persona, but otherwise, you get another personality that meshes well with the energy of the movie. The Krampus, however, is probably the most unique and dynamic of the characters in this film. Kristofer Hivju brings fantastic energy with his vocal and non-vocal acting as the big baddie of Christmas. His delivery is top-shelf quality, owning the moment with how he embraces the darker emotions that come with the holidays. His costume and makeup work is some of the best of the bunch, with the group putting a lot of time and energy into crafting realistic costumes that I like in my movies and not compromising on the complexity of the character. I would have liked a lot more of this type of character, range, and creativity in other characters, but I at least got this gold nugget (alongside Simmons' take on the Big Man himself).

DISLIKES:

Action Is Dialed Back

The Comedy Is A Little Flat

Character Usage Is Uneven

You've Seen A Lot In The Trailers

Needed A Little More Excitement

Some Story Components Could Use Touching Up

Visuals Are Inconsistent

Summary: Red One's campiness is certainly fun and a fresher take on the Christmas holiday stories, but it still has some workshopping to help get the movie to the full spectacle they were trying to achieve. Despite the trailer promises, the movie is not the Die Hard of the new era. Many of the stunts are CGI runs, simplified punches, dives, and choreography that is very stiff and practiced with limited opposition that wasn't drowned out in montages. I found it funny how kid-friendly the action was, while the language was certainly not scaled back for the potential young audience members. And like the action, the comedy sometimes becomes a tad flat and stale by about the middle of the film. Fortunately, some of the other characters do the lifting, but it only helps so much to break up the cringe-inducing jokes that come at times. The character usage is bad in this film. Most of the characters were reduced to cameos, simple appearances, and some minor actions/moves that were fun but highly reduced from what I thought they were going to be in this film. Had they maybe integrated a few more characters and dove into their backstories or emotional depth, we might have gotten a movie that could help add more integration and stakes to the fight. Increase the action alongside the threat of the villain, and you could have further helped give this movie more vigor and excitement, I think they were going for in the design. I'm not saying I needed vicious dismemberment or gory messes, but the world of Santa Claus offers a lot of potential for unique fighting and solutions that I think just didn't have the same level of creativity. And finally, the visuals are indeed inconsistent, as other reviews have mentioned. Sometimes, the movie makes things in stunning detail, like the Krampus or Garcia the polar bear, that are realistic as they can be outside of really good costumes. At other times, the special effects are back to the 2000s level, with the fake animation showing some budget cuts that could have been better utilized. It's not the worst by far, but... it's annoying to see such inconsistencies when this was a movie with a lot of backing.

The VERDICT: Red One has accomplished much in terms of being a new generational tradition in the holiday movie lineup. It's corny, campy, and overall fun, bringing a lot of comedic styles into the film and not apologizing for being the fast-paced festivity that it serves to be. A good leading cast helps to lift much of the writing, and the creativity is certainly something for the books and will touch a lot of hearts with the messages and references they make in this menagerie. True, the movie is not the action epic they promised, and the story needs more edge, time, and character balance to accomplish the lofty goals it south. Yet, the movie is still decent and fun enough to get out to the theater to see and enjoy the holiday spirit.

My scores for Red One are:

Holiday/Mystery/Action/Satire/Comedy/Fantasy/Adventure: 7.5-8.0 Movie Overall 7.0.

LIKES:

The Message At the End of the Credits

Fantastic Acting

Great Cinematography For The Most Part

Smart and Engaging Dialogue

A Test Of Some Sorts

Good Characters To An Extent

Realistic To Some Degree

Decent Run Time

Keeps the Gore/Horror Elements In Check

Summary: Heretic is a film with an A24 approach to making genres feel a little more original. The visual style again takes precedence, with the directors and their team making a splendid-looking film that keeps rather droll material engaging. Switching of camera angles leads to movement around the room, giving emotional weight to the film and helping drive that point across with the subtlest effort. The lighting is almost an actor alone, changing its face at any moment, which made me feel different levels of heaviness as I watched our protagonists try to navigate out of this ordeal. With an incredible setting to assist in all the visual aspects, Heretic's intelligence in doing a little with less money shows the talent of human creativity that shortcuts like AI seldom capture. The message at the end was very appreciative to a viewer like me, happy to see the minimization of the popular "work" ethic of the modern-day studios.

Past the visual style, Heretic's writing and acting are the bread and butter of the movie and perhaps the strongest element to bring this tale to life. It's a dialog-heavy movie, and Beck and Woods have managed to integrate philosophy, theology, and ethics into a surprisingly intriguing screenplay. Our characters are not stuck in some colonial dialect but instead feel like students talking to a professor and requiring various adjustments to the lesson. When that takes a Thriller turn, the script changes without leaping into some trivial, run-of-the-mill horror mess that we've gotten so many times. Instead, it builds upon the previous dialogue and never shifts too far from the characters at the start and still changes them as these events do. Helping to deliver this dialog at such brilliant levels is the cast. East is by far the most dynamic of the group, shifting between her tones organically and maintaining a believable performance that doesn't get too farfetched or obnoxious. Thatcher keeps to her tone pretty consistently but manages to add inflections that show vulnerability without changing too much. A strong counterpoint for much of the film and never being too overwhelming that she displaces the other characters. Hugh Grant is sort of the pillar for this movie, though, and has now taken his performance range to a new level for me as he portrays this thrilling antagonist. Certainly not the token villain, Grant's acting with the direction of the story creates a chilling character that is not so over the top to be ridiculous nor too contrived to be unbelievable. You can certainly sense he is a bad guy, but to what degree you don't know during the first parts of the film. As the tale continues, that level gradually unfolds, all from the brilliant angle he started with and never degrading into some other form that Horror movies often take. It's a wonderful and articulate performance that never gets too cheesy, and I was enthralled by just his next move. Together, the chemistry brings the best out of each of the thespians to make this odd story truly shine in that A24 way. Throw in that movie didn't fall into the radical levels of horror and gore, alongside a decent run time and pace, and you have found another A24 movie that I enjoyed.

DISLIKES:

Slow at Times

Gets Caught Up in the Banter

May Not Be Thriller/Horror Enough

A Couple of Concepts From Trailers Poorly Used

The Setup Feels A Little Lacking

The Ending Is Both Justifiable And Yet Lackluster

Summary: Despite all the strengths, though, there are still some areas I felt were weaker in the movie. I place a warning that this movie is going to be a heavy theology plot that is going to call into the challenges of faith and religion. Those who do not want a film like this are essentially going to be unamused by this film, if not insulted, if you don't fall into the niche of this movie. With that aside, the movie is not the most exciting nor unique of the A24 films compared to some of their other eccentric plots. While this means less of the excessive gore, nudity, and other body horror elements, it comes at the cost of not having the full Horror element I got from the trailer. Heretic's teaser suggested logic puzzles with character development as they moved about a house in what I thought might be a less eccentric Saw. That is not the case. The promise instead went to more of the philosophical debacle, and I wished they could have done more with the house the girls entered. With a central focus on the dialog, the movie got lost in the banter and sometimes felt stagnant and slow, only to then move too fast as we got near the end. Even the ending, while justifiable, feels a little tied up and mundane as the final shot fades out and left my mind wandering. Thus, the direction they took may not be quite as appealing when you go into the film with expectations that I had from the trailers, nor if you want a movie relying on philosophical teachings and a case of faith.

The VERDICT: Heretic is, without a doubt, another A24 entry that is elevated in many facets when it comes to modern cinema. The visual work alone continues to be its own entity, filled with engaging angles, creative use of lighting, and movement despite the rather sedentary plot. A dialog-heavy narrative that encompasses modern teaching with time-tested theology stimulates the mind and is well-integrated into the plot as the means for navigating about the 90-minute runtime. And the acting is another display of talent with strong characters, amazing control of emotion, and some of the best delivery of lines I've seen in quite some time. Yet, if you saw the trailers, what you get might be very different than what you perceived. Heretic had a lot of potential to take what I liked and integrate it into a shifting ordeal of logic. Sadly, that potential fell flat at times, and became infatuated with the dialog that it doesn't move or really scare you by any means. While it is nice to tone down the usual A24 elements, Heretic needed a little more thrill to be the Thriller it promised instead of an educational piece. The audience who I predict will enjoy this film the most is going to be those who like logical banter and testing of religious principles in modern society. Worth a trip to the theater? The acting and cinematography are worth the support, but alas, this movie might feel better at home.

My scores are:

Horror/Thriller/Psychological: 7.5% Movie Overall: 6.5-7.0.

LIKES:

Cute

Moves At a Good Pace

Funny And Wholesome

Good Acting

Realistic With Modern Sheen

Message Is Strong As Ever

Summary: The trailers portrayed this movie as a cute dive into a simpler time before the Internet exploded out of control. This remake is an example of taking history and bringing it to the present and capturing the wholesome nature of what was an adventure for most. It's not flashy, it's not state-of-the-art, and it's just feeling like living in a town that is fixated on traditions no matter their intended purpose. The movie lets the narrator tell the story, feeling like a television special, with an engaging teller to pull you into the tale. Its humor relies on relevance and timing, which had my fellow audience members frequently laughing and doesn't rely on wit or engaging quotes to do the work. A realistic overtone helps to keep this film in that cute sort of sitcom role and helps instill some emotions that hit me harder in this approach than the artificial feeling Hallmark injects its movies with every year. The real heart lies in the strong messages this movie brings, with the very message of Christmas radiating out, but again feeling genuine and perfect for the holiday season. As for the acting, the entire cast plays the roles well and makes this community of varying personalities match closely to communities I have lived in previously.

DISLIKES:

Preachy

Missing Character Development Completeness

A Tad Too Simplistic

Predictable

Missing The Full Fleshed Out Finesse

Too Many Characters in A Short Amount Of Time

Summary: Yet, the movie still suffers from what you might expect of a drama film such as this one. It's preachy at times, getting caught up in quoting the bible and taking asides to paraphrase the passages that it can get a bit too Hollywood. The movie's simplicity will be incredible for the key audience groups of family, while those looking for something more will find it tireless and boring, perhaps thinking this would have been best left to a straight-to-home release. The predictable plot is great for the family night-in but suffers from the lack of depth in character development and full immersion into the process. I felt there were too many characters and not enough time to fully invest in the characters nor give you time for build-up and gradual progression to the goal. It's a little too simplistic, lacking the full depth for just bites of the inevitable conclusion coming at the movie's end. I guess that's what religious-heavy movies are known for, but I would have liked just a bit more storytelling baked into the heartfelt message contained in this movie.

The verdict: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is a remake that sticks to the foundation without being a soulless carbon copy of the film before it. It is a delightful production that teaches the meaning of the holiday in classy, fun, and adorable tones without relying too much on the cliché theatrics and forced acting that some programs do. A wholesome and realistic edge works in this film, using just enough movie shine to glam it up without costing anything away from the goal of this movie. Yet, the simplistic direction of this movie is also a big limitation in terms of unique flavor and wow factors that one might be looking for in this movie, The short run time might get you out of the theater faster, but the storytelling suffers in regards to shallower character development, limited buildup of impasses, and a rather lackluster finish in terms of any real stakes to have you on the edge of your seat. It feels like a big-budget version of a Hallmark film at times, and those who like said movies should come out and see this movie (a killer youth group film). With all this in mind, my scores for this film are:

Adventure/Comedy/Drama/: 7.0 Movie Overall: 6.0.

LIKES:

Good Acting

Realistic On Many Facets Of Life

Dynamic use of Set/Setting

Creative Transitions

De Aging Technology

Some Fascinating Connections At Times

I loved the Artistic Angle At the Times

Relevant/Relatable

Emotional

Summary: The movie's advertising has not lied to you, Here is a film that is truly one of the most unique concepts we've seen in a while. The movie relies on one to enjoy the single-camera/location fixation and tell a story about time's impact on life and the people moving through it. Zemeckis has accomplished this task on many levels and managed to utilize the space well and keep the shot dynamic despite being so static. Dynamic set changes help make this piece fascinating, with the idea of furniture changes being a characteristic of the house itself that is impressive and serves as a metaphorical window to life. I loved seeing this room lived in and the families who each called the villa home, seeing their interactions, auras, and personalities give a different light to the scene and tell their own micro-stories. Transitions occurred via outlines of photographs, drawing attention before rippling into a new scene, the technique is smooth and seldom overdone for me. It held many facets that were creative but never lost the anchor to realism to make this a nice, balanced piece.

As for the story and acting, an A-list of talent has helped bring this movie to life and achieve the goal of being a look at life. Here is a film that relies heavily on being relevant and the cast to make that relevance come to life. In regards to the story, it seldom bleeds away from people living life, taking snippets of various periods and reflecting them in the times. The ups and downs are beautifully captured on screen, and Zemeckis' vision helps drive the concepts home and hit you with that emotional punch this movie promised. When the relevant tales hit me, it only further strengthened my connection to the film, and I found my inner self reflecting on what this movie had to teach me. The acting is there to give words to the visions, with much of the dialog poetic without being too Shakespearean in its delivery. Bettany was a surprise to see, and though not quite as engaging or dynamic as his Disney films, it still manages to impress me with a stellar performance of the Boomer generation facing the fast changes befalling the world. Wright's return to the screen is fierce as her character is torn between fun and frenzy, a brilliant portrayal of struggles that befell so many in her spot during the great decades of change. Hanks is, of course, just as talented as he has been, incorporating elements of his other characters into each moment of his life and doing it with that same class and vigor he almost always brings to the screen. It's a chemistry that works, this family atmosphere appearing so natural and almost authentic with strong leads to guide the characters and never fall too much into the Hollywood portrayals. The age portrayal technology also gets props for the work it did to make the impossible possible, and though I'm not the biggest fan of the use of such tactics, this was the right movie to use it.

DISLIKES:

Incoherent Story Angles

Very Ambiguous Connections

Boring At Times

Difficult to Connect To Most Tales

Sad And Depressing

Perhaps Too Artistic

Summary: Yet, an artistic movie comes with a potential risk in modern commodities of movie making, and this film amplifies those costs that come with such a unique approach. My biggest complaint comes with the non-linear storytelling and the sort of random drops into some of the stories. The tale uses one of the periods to serve as visual chapter headings to usher the next theme of life but serves little to the story and, at times, feels short-changed and worthless. This, unfortunately, extends to just about every other tale in the movie that is not related to Hanks, making them feel last minute and unnecessary. A few times, there are some clever connections if you pay attention, but for the most part, the ambiguous and chaotic jumps between lives did little to make an engaging story worth the diversion time. Eventually, the sadder parts of life start to become the focus, and for people like me, a bombardment of sadness doesn't usually entertain or make me enjoy the film. The last third of the film is hard to watch, and those who might have recent or traumatic episodes in their lives need to be cautious not to get triggered. If you are like me, then getting drowned in the beautiful moments of sadness becomes overwhelming and excessive, dragging out the film further when the pace Is tripped by the unnecessary divergence mentioned earlier. When that happens, the movie starts to really fall in terms of enjoyment and becomes a bit of a chore to get through despite the smaller runtime.

The VERDICT Zemeckis' gamble pays off in terms of making a movie that just captures life without being a documentary. Here has beautiful visual storytelling that focuses on life in one room unfolding and giving time to human qualities. The film teaches lessons using simplistic measures and is creative in showing evolution from one angle without becoming too fixated on being abstract or unique. Solid acting and picking relevant points in life should provide relatable moments for a variety of audience members, which may be both a curse and a blessing, depending on the type of viewer you are. Helming all of this is a brilliant cast to deliver realistic lines and balanced performances and establish that familial charm movies like this one thrive upon for their material. Those very qualities are also the limitation of the movie, primarily in the haphazard storytelling that Zemeckis and company took with Here. Jumping between so many periods without solid connections made many tales feel irrelevant and unnecessary. As this compounds, the movie starts to feel like a chore, especially near the sadder parts of the film and begins to make the film boring. Beautiful and realistic as it can be, if you aren't ready to handle such things, Here is going to fall short for many people. Balancing all of this, Zemeckis' artistry deserves praise for originality, but is such an approach worthy of the theater? In my opinion, no. It's a film that can be appreciated in most homes and gives the same message. Thus, my scores for Here are:

Drama: 6.5-7.0 Movie Overall: 6.0.

LIKES:

Design Is Charming

Animation is Fluid

Some Funny Jokes

Very Short Runtime

Original Direction

Fun Voice Acting

Very Touching At Times

The Music

Summary: Hitpig is an odd animated movie, but it's a cute film that has charming animation and design that is fun to watch. These anthropomorphized animals move like the humans they are mimicking, with a few extra animal nuances to mix things up. It's simplistic and fun, and we've seen it done a bunch of times, but it's still charming and perfect for families looking for a friendly movie to visit the theater. While talking animals do not seem like an original idea, Hitpig gives the protagonist an interesting job and background compared to most of the films we've gotten. A pig whose job is to retrieve fellow animals for the owners is kind of funny and certainly one of the odder plots they have presented. I had wished that they had pursued it more, but the movie goes down the Dr. Seuss meets Despicable Me mashup arc that pulls the heartstrings and makes you feel the power of friendship.

In regards to the other aspects of the movie, Hitpig is simplistic fun and funny at times as well. The film is juvenile in much of its delivery, but some adult jokes made me laugh, while some of the banter had me chuckling. Being a fan of some of the styles was hysterical at times, with just the right amount of silliness to make it amusing. The voice cast is doing their best to make their characters come to life. Most of the time, they succeed, sometimes going into those deeper character moments that are relevant and other times just being the biggest doofs you can imagine. The extremes do become annoying, but kudos to them for giving each extreme the best of their abilities and making each joke the best it could be. And if all of this does not sound appealing, then take solace in the fact the movie is only about 75 minutes of actual runtime. Just enough time to let your ears bathe in the sweet symphonies of the awesome soundtrack designed for the movie.

DISLIKES:

Plot is Scattered

Characters Are Shallow At times

Little Suspense Or Intensity

Incessantly silly

Random Inclusion of Characters

Tried Too Hard To Be Funny

World Building Is Mundane

Too Many Plot Conveniences

Not Original Enough

Summary: Despite the fun I had, the movie is certainly not standing out amongst the bigger studio projects that Disney and DreamWorks have claimed. A smaller budget required cuts, and I felt a lot of them primarily in the story over anything else. The plot is adorable, but the movie is so scattered in plot, a buddy adventure that tries to test greed vs. The power of friendship. It's predictable, but the fight is not impressive, and the character development is small dips instead of plunging into deeper characters that are going on their journeys of self-discovery. There are very few moments of intense battles, moral tests, or climactic finales, with much of the danger sanded down to asinine skits with little recovery from the comedic bouts of humor. Characters seem haphazardly included, with only some fun background moments to proceed, suddenly becoming a big part of the movie. While they were cute (and again) a great comedic device, they held little point to the abrupt appearances but to design a team capable of the final plan. These plot conveniences become hyperbolic and soon distracting to the point of annoyance to the point it robs the story of full emotional investment. Mundane world-building does little to help support the movie, especially when it is too silly to the point of being stupid without any strategy or tact to execute it. And there is not enough originality to save it when the unique circumstances transform into a carbon-copy Dr. Seuss story.

The VERDICT: While certainly cute and fun, HitPig feels more like a Nickelodeon special condensed into a seventy-minute runtime and sent to get some money before the end of this coming month. Its cute atmosphere and characters are perfect for the younger audiences (alongside the young at heart) to gravitate towards, and the humor is a perfect entry into the movie world without crossing any major PG lines. However, those very qualities are what also limit the movie from reaching its full potential, therefore making the movie less of a must-see. Its simple story, with reckless character use, mundane trials, and excessive comedy use, just didn't fully engage my interest and lacked a lot of the layers that some of my favorite animated films have managed to craft. Perhaps sticking to the original plot could have accomplished much, and adding a little more maturity into the film could have helped spice things up. Alas, I can't recommend this movie for the theater outside of a daycare field trip as the ideal way to view it, and I would encourage a stream at home when it comes out.

My scores are:

Action/Adventure/Animation/Comedy: 6.5 Movie Overall: 6.0.

LIKES:

Funny At Times

Faster Pace

Good Graphics

Hardy

Expands the Universe Some

The Ending Is A Great Finale

Summary: The direction for Venom seems to always be humor in the movies more than anything else. No surprise, the third entry is just as much geared towards the comedy routine as anything else. Eddy and Venom have internal banter, the duo constantly filling your ears with a lot of jokes, gags, and run-on gimmicks that are idiotic, fun, and very quick. It can be a tad hard to hear sometimes in the distorted voice of Venom, but I admit I was laughing at much of the tale with the Guardians-like humor. It goes amazingly in time with the pace of the movie, and for the most part, fans should find very few boring moments as they hop from one location to the next. Of note, Hardy is the man who carries the movie; his voicework as the symbiote is as fun as before, with the same dynamic range he can get out of a growl. Hardy plays very well against himself, and the buddy-cop-like comedy takes full hold.

In terms of the rest of the likes, the movie's story has elements that show promise for something rising from this series. For one thing, the graphics continue to look good, with flowing tendrils and cool creature concepts arising. Some of the extensions they made in this film look really cool in the movie, with the 3-D elements a potential enhancement if you are feeling bold. Past that, the universe extends some as the story introduces some new elements that this series had struggled for so long to incorporate despite all the trailers promising they wouldn't be so poor. This was very promising, and if they can actually pick up the pieces of this trilogy, it could be the starting point for something very promising, especially with the finale that finally started approaching the Marvel majesty. With good action, engaging stakes, comedic relief in the right areas, and some depth to the characters, we finally got an ending sequence that felt worth the wait. Was it perfect? Not even close, but it is the closest thing to success in a long time.

DISLIKES:

Mediocre Story

Poor Antagonist Use

Stakes Being Rather Bland

Too Many Tales In One Movie

Too Much Focus On Comedy

All The Expansion Is Done Before It Even Starts

Trailers Gave Too Much Away

Summary:

The Last Dance is still horrible in the story and, to be honest, is probably the weakest of the three tales for me. There are small elements that work and show merit, primarily at the end, but the film's story overall is very lacking in substance, mainly comedic moments with a few action or chase scenes to mix things up. These supposed threats are in name alone, with only mere minions doing most of the work while the king sits on his throne doing very little but mumbling. It's boring, it's senseless, and without the comedy, it was not needed for much of the film, again making this an almost unnecessary sequel. The stakes are rather mundane, trying to find solutions is super simplistic or conventional, and way too many tales to balance between one another for one film. With so little focus on these elements, the movie just fails to build any lasting impression, especially with the waste of such a devastating antagonist. Venom's focus on comedy continues to kill any incredible story, and they needed to take more risks given the content they had. Even the potential at the ends too quickly. The climactic fight has some cool moves and coordination, but alas, it fails to come together the way Avengers or Guardians did, leading to a lot of background movements that again become drowned by more comedy or simple theatrics that have become stale with the overuse. Much of this also came due to the trailers, with commercials revealing too much and ruining what little surprises the movie still had left to give.

The VERDICT:

Venom: The Last Dance is a movie that continues to tango with the comedic overhaul that Hollywood thinks all comic movies need. Its humor is the same tricks but still works in the hands of Hardy, with a few new elements added to try and spice the antics up. With fun elements, a breakneck pace, and some good design elements built for 3-D. Yet, the movie's potential was wasted with too many comedic gimmicks, an unfocused narrative, and too little time advancing the elements seen in the climactic ending, resulting in this movie again failing to meet the expectations most probably set. I wanted more out of this film, but I don't think that Venom's latest entry is going to appeal to most audiences unless they are mega fans of the movies, die-hard positive movie fans, or just want massive comedy in your face and little else. Those are the target audience members for this movie, and a word of warning for younger fans for scary elements and some language parents might not want their kids to hear. Thus, for visuals alone, the movie does get some theater quality, but this one is again best left for home if you want to optimize your experience, money, and time. My scores for the film are:

Action/Adventure/Thriller/Superhero/Sci-Fi: 6.0 Movie Overall: 5.0-5.5.

LIKES

Acting

Realism (To Most Degrees)

Some Dramatic Intervention

Smart Dialogue

The Mystery To Some Degree

Involvement Of Most Characters

The Cinematography

Summary: A legend like Ralph Fiennes is a solid opener for my likes, as the man takes so much of his English heritage and integrates it into the head of the Conclave. Elegant, crafty, poised, but never shy of getting emotional when needed, Fiennes abilities of balance continue to impress me with how he invests in making a good character. Tucci goes a bit more theatrical, his character the voice of the "liberal" side as his aggressions and passions are artfully delivered in a manner fit for the stage to offset Fiennes' calmer tones. Lithgow, on the other hand, is almost a mix of the two extremes, holding his usual support role that keeps so many of the leading sides held and providing perhaps most of the engaging mystery element in the search for the truth. All the cast members excel in this movie, each member vying for the seat, making adequate contributions and performances to present those ideas. I'll use this moment to also say I'm impressed that Conclave is very efficient at keeping all the players introduced at the beginning of the movie ingrained in the story. Conclave is all about the interactions and connections that each Cardinal has to go for the throne, and Berger's team has kept them all engaged in the very complex story. And with such smart dialogue, the characters and performers have plenty of material to bring this realistic tale to life and give one a feeling of being involved in such an established tradition. When the drama is integrated to spice things up, the realism does not lose much merit, resulting in a nice balance that plays well to the character development and office traditions.

Finally, the best thing about this movie is the cinematography for viewers like me. Powerful camera work adds so much emotional support to the film, with impressive coordination of shots, each diagrammed to give you the best visual display. In my viewing, I got wide shots of the church that portrayed the majestic expanse of the historical architecture, close-up shots that give the intensity of a character's stare as they ponder the latest information, and panning shots that give one fleeting shots of someone walking throughout as they seek to make things happen. Brilliant lighting and filters accompany these shots and further add that dramatic touch, but they seldom get in the way of seeing what's going on in the shot. Fantastic editing brings all of this together in smooth cuts, logical storyboards, and not relying on too many effects to enhance the experience.

DISLIKES:

Slow In A Lot of Places

Very Pretentious At Times

Most Of The Mysteries Have Lackluster Finishes

Becomes More About Politics

Contrived Ending That Shatters Some of the Disbelief

Summary: For all the acting and visual strengths of this movie, Conclave does fail for some other elements that take away from the splendor hinted at in trailers. The movie is slow, with other points feeling slower than others, as they do their best to move towards the election of the Pope. Primarily in conversational bantering and repetitive sequences in the same rooms, the film sometimes gets lost in this sequential discovery of facts and, without the assistance of more exciting movie elements, becomes droll outside of drama lovers. A mystery is established somewhat at the beginning, but this quickly fades and starts becoming more of a political drama than the mystery thriller I thought it would be. If you don't care to be reminded of the current political views, this is a major limitation as the movie starts to leave the mystery elements behind, with many of the questions having rather bland and pretentious answers. This is especially true at the end, where politics becomes a key focus and almost takes a major divergence towards feeling like social media debates and a philosophy class rather than an engaging end to the mystery. What could further disappoint is that the movie's ending completely undermines realism at times and again forgoes the logic and just about all the actions and litigation you see in the movie. That stumble led to a very disappointing ending in regards to the selling point of the movie despite the symbolic and characteristic ending they pulled in at the last minute.

The VERDICT:

Conclave is indeed a stunning piece of work for me, primarily for the acting and cinematography that brings this tradition to life in extraordinary detail. I loved the wit, the realism, and the process of electing a pope alongside the earlier moments of trying to figure out the mysteries at hand. It's a fantastic portrayal of characters while also testing the traditions and credos that many discuss about religion in their various media. While the film thrives as a political and religious drama, it fails in regards to a mystery and thriller, and adjusting your mindset may help you enjoy this movie more with that effort in mind. Contrived, pompous, and slow make this film less engaging, and the realistic content is going to provide less opportunity to escape if that is what you are looking for when hitting the movies. In the end, this film is probably best reserved for home vs. A theater trip, but for quality acting, definitely give this one a try.

My scores are: Thriller: 6.5-7.0 Movie Overall: 6.0.

LIKES:

Great Cinematography

Fantastic Editing

Story Is Actually Good In A Horror Movie

Great Character Development

New Uses Of The Entity's Tricks

Surprisingly Suspenseful

Good Balance of Scare Types

Some Music Interludes

The Acting

Summary: A horror sequel is seldom worth the ride or investment in your time, with only a few movies that prove worthy of being added to the series. Smile 2 was a movie I found worthy of my time. Finn brings style to the sequel, adding wonderful work in bringing the terror to life with engaging camera angles, horrifying close-ups, and the use of filters that truly engorge the horror genre. Psychological transitions are accompanied by incredible technique, sound, and visual jarring at times, while other times subtle to gradually chip away your barriers of comfort. It maintains the realism of much of the movie, only stretching the disbelief to certain extents to add that flair I like to have to spice things up. Combine this with the impeccable lighting effects, and the atmosphere is set to provide variety in the types of chills you will feel as this movie progresses. Jump scares, mind-breaking thrills, grotesque body horror, and building suspense are in this movie, and the crazy balance of these types (especially when integrated into the story) fully brings the spectacle to life.

The other element of Smile 2 I liked is the story component and the foundation to which all the theatrics are anchored. This sequel focuses on the lore being integrated into each character, and Skye's (Naomi Scott) story is one that is fascinating in a movie such as this one. It's filled with layers portraying her own struggles as a person, alongside the pressures placed on superstars when the spotlight hits them. Those pressures work in tandem with the primary story of Smile and finding a way out of the mess, Skye has fallen into without ever getting in the way of the movie's pace. Finn's writing has incorporated a lot of necessary components, but never in too flashy or distracting of a way, including music interludes that show off Scott's talents and again never dominate the movie. It's fantastic character development and story urgency that, when mixed with the scares, puts this film into a suspenseful and engaging piece that goes beyond the usual scream and gore fest some sequels choose to become. As for the acting, the top cast does their job well, but it's Scott who serves the most recognition from this writer. To see her once more portray such a different character is an acknowledgment of this woman's range. Every shout, every scream, every haunting look and reaction holds such merit to what Finn required of her, and I felt myself drawn to her struggles, silently rooting for her to find a way out of this horror. The hurt, the anguish, the growth, and the authenticity of how tormented Skye was came out on such hauntingly levels, and I can't wait to see more work from her if she can create such believable performances like this one.

DISLIKES:

Predictable

Grotesque To Points Of Being Unnecessary

The Overuse of the F Word

The Ending To Some Degree

Caution With Some Sensitive Content

Summary: However, for all the great things mentioned, Smile 2 is still a victim of predictability in this genre. An engaging pace certainly helps, but if you pay attention, you can figure out the nature of things to come and perhaps even the ending. The finale is indeed intense and still brings all those charms, but when the curtain closes, it's another divisive ending that will either be a fantastic entry or piss you off at the grandiosity that they took with finishing the movie. After the arduous journey to get to the ending, I lean a little more on the disappointing ending side, but that's only due to how well Finn was building on something and my expectations for something of matching wit. In addition, Finn's investment in gore and the F word is a tad too investing for someone like me, and I found it to be excessive at times to the point of either unnecessarily grotesque or annoying. The F word, in particular, was annoying to me, becoming a bland flavor instead of the seasoning spice that I particularly like in my movies, nor as witty or fun as Deadpool and Wolverine. Finally, a warning that this movie is going to handle some serious content in very graphic ways. If you are someone who is affected or perhaps not ready for such material, then I warn you to shy away from this movie until you are with a group or place where you can handle the material.

The VERDICT: Smile 2 turns out to be a sequel that, on many levels, is worth the hype. A story that continues to advance the story of the predecessors but still be a tale of its serves as an awesome foundation for the scares at hand. It contains plenty of horror styles coming together in very dynamic ways and has the technology and technique to execute them masterfully. Alongside a stunning performance by the lead with a talented support system, the risky choices are well worth the time, especially during the Halloween season. Smile 2 does suffer from predictability and excessive language, dark themes, and, at times, gore, but fans of this genre should welcome most of these things despite the predictability. Should you see it in theaters? Absolutely! The effects, story, and acting are worth this being your Halloween movie of the month (not on streaming as of yet). However, just note that this movie may be hard for some viewers, so make sure you ask questions or use caution before taking certain audience members.

My scores for Smile 2 are:

Horror/Mystery/Thriller/Psychological Thriller: 8-8.5 Movie Overall: 7.5-8.0.

LIKES:

Plenty of Pharell Songs

The Cast They Got

Covers A Lot Of His Life

Never Gets Stuck On One Time Period

Loved The Lego Presentation/Combination

It's Emotionally Beautiful

It's Deep And Eye Opening

SUMMARY Pharrell fans rejoice for this movie is all about the man who changed the industry when it came to beats that meshed various styles together and united the genres. The man is super talented, and I learned so much about just what this guy went through on his journey into the stardom he currently claims. The film is fascinating to learn about his origins with his family and his friends as they found their sounds and to see his gradual introduction to the collection of artists that belonged in the world of Hip-Hop that would help his career rise. A fantastic integration that manages to explore emotions and paint the picture of fame's influence, Piece by Piece manages to build a lot of emotion without relying solely on melodramatic tactics. Having such a great collection of artists, each one helping to add some diversity to the film, not only in musical track style but in the energy of the film, helps to get around the problem I have with musical biographies when they get stuck on one period and forget the music. This film avoids that quite well and keeps the momentum up as they continue to push toward the end goal. The best part is all of these qualities are done in Legos, and somehow...it worked for me. Like Pharell's visions, the Lego aspect manages to meet the emotions and keep the movie so fun at the same time. This animated style opens up the mindset much better and keeps things vivid, colorful, exciting, and enjoyable as imagination meets reality. Seeing sound turn into color, watching him and his friends fall into the rhythm zone as they find the beat, several artists getting their own twists into the Lego universe, and Pharell's outlook on his life were all very enjoyable for Sure, it is silly at times, but Neville and his crew have managed to make this documentary stand out from the number of specials that have been rolling into streaming.

DISLIKES:

No Complete Song Numbers

Gets Preachy/Feels At Times Curbed

Never Dives Into The Full Details Of Some Things I Wanted More Details

It's A Documentary, So Niche

Summary: Yet, the movie still has not accomplished getting to see some full song numbers, again trading showmanship for numbers. In a movie like this, it's not as hard of a blow, but I had hoped the movie would have picked a few songs that were key players in his career and give us the creation process or the video from his perspective and add that Lego magic. Though it does better to avoid the fixation on one period, the movie does occasionally get stuck on that preachy message and "heartfelt sensibilities" that feel a tad forced or set up to the point it was eye-rolling and loses a bit of him being real. Sure, I'm up for motivational messages and inspiring words, but the presentation is everything, and I think Pharell could have done it a little better in terms of being natural. In addition, there are facets of his life I wanted to see with a little more detail, especially seeing a few of his startup numbers or maybe his first big project of how they pulled the magic out into a full track, but I did not get these details at times as they crammed a lot of years into a ninety-minute run time. Finally, because it's a documentary about one artist, there's going to be a niche audience to enjoy it, and that is going to curb your approach and appreciation very easily. Thus, the limited scope is going to potentially polarize the audience and lead to reflective scores.

The VERDICT If you are a fan of Pharrell Williams, this movie is going to match the unique character that is Williams' career. Piece by Piece is going to give you a more detailed Spark's Note version of his life, and does it in a charming style that is imaginative, fun, and balanced to keep it entertaining for all ages. It's silly, it's quirky, and if you don't like Lego animation those factors might dilute your enjoyment. However, if you get past that, you get a documentary that I find more entertaining and unique than most of the approaches to this film despite the preachiness, selective editing, and not having the Hollywood magical story that helps add pizazz to it. Should you see it in theaters? Yes, if you are a fan of his work as the theater does give some vibes to the music and the colors. Otherwise, this is one to skip if you don't want a documentary on this artist.

My scores for Piece by Piece are:

Animation/Comedy/Musical/Family/Biography: 7.5-8.0 Movie Overall: 7.0.

LIKES:

Great Acting

Mimicry

The Exciting Elements Of The Business

The Drama

The Pace

All The Insight

Surprising Dialog

Just Fun And Shows A Classic

Summary: If you are going to make a movie referencing some of the most established comedians of the time and a historical "documentary), you need to have great acting. And this casting call was sensational in pulling together some amazing talent to play these iconic roles. I won't mention any actors, but the chemistry alone was beyond fantastic in bringing out the chaos and aggressive humor that was known in the show. While the perfect likeness and voice might elude some moments, the mimicry is startingly accurate in much of the cast in how they sing, walk, react, and deliver those solid lines. Belushi, in particular, was the one that blew my mind the most in what they pulled from the past. Still, so many others did their homework to revive these entertainers in all their glory and deliver a performance very reminiscent of the times.

Once you get past the cast, though, you'll find the setting also a character of its own, a beast that demands the most of the performers as they have to get ready for the opening night that seemed fleeting. Saturday Night hits you hard with the facets of making the show, each element providing insight into what was a circus meeting a warzone that might have been suffering the apocalypse (yes, that is how chaotic this night was). A counting clock that interrupts the scene at times adds to the frenzy, alongside so many people clawing their way into this debut with very little to keep the frenzy in control. You'll get so much in a short amount of time at a pace, I feel, matches the intensity of that night and everything Lorne had to get ready. There is drama, comedy, and a little bit of psychological thriller thrown into the mix, giving a character profile movie without diverting too much time away from the big picture. The dialog is surprising on many levels, with some moments going into the old comedy people don't want to talk about and other times into motivational one-offs to help establish the stakes. As the experience continues to evolve and show time starts to get closer, Reitman and Kenan manage to somehow pull the whole thing into a window of the past and bring back the specialty that live TV brought back in the day. Between costumes, props, cultural references, and more, Saturday Night accomplishes fun and classic feels that have been lost to the advancements of technology and business, and I loved that escapism and authenticity.

DISLIKES:

The Language Got Stale

Lots of Dark Sides Of People

So Chaotic A Tad Hard To Believe

More Stories Needed More Time

Niche Audience

SUMMARY: The tales of the sketch show are riddled with the darker sides of humans and how the monster of showbusiness can eat at people. Saturday Night emphasizes that in very relevant ways, again conveying that hastiness and manic nature as everything is trying to come together. The audience needs to be ready for that because, though not the worst use of these elements, it can be a tad overwhelming and overdone in such a compact amount of time. The F word is thrown around a lot more readily, and even in the background is the word to craft a symphony that does get stale at times. Fortunately, there is enough to break that up, and much of it is lighter than I anticipated, but I do want to issue a warning. Another aspect is seeing the ugly side of the movie come out and being bombarded by a lot of the more provocative, meaner, nastier, and often demeaning comments, actions, and hostilities that were present. Accurate as the portrayal seems to be, it can be hard to withstand the onslaught of this irate and ill-tempered behavior at such a colossal speed, and you might find yourself a bit exhausted by the movie (which I'm sure matches Lorne's feelings to a degree. The chaos of the night is so much that, at times, I found it hard to believe, some stretches seeming to be a bit too time dilating, but per the records, they are accurate to a degree and more amazing to see. In movie form, it's a bit fast at times and leads to some hasty editing choices for transitions, but it still maintains a good flow compared to other films. Where I think the film is at a loss is that the stories for all these iconic moments, plot elements, and stakes are a tad diluted, with everything in a roughly 89 -90 minute run time. A mini-series could solve this, but the movie has so many elements you might not get the full experience with a performer you want, nor get the full effects of a cast member that might be promoting the movie and pulling you in. So much in so little of a time might have been real, but to convey that and give everyone their full time needed more time than a limited-run series could have done well. Outside of a few performance drops at times, some preachy finale at the end, and losing that finish they had been building up, I can't make too many other complaints outside of one. It's a niche movie, catered a bit more to those who 1) Like Saturday Night Live, 2) Care about historical preference, and 3) Care about what goes into a production value. That limitation might lead to people avoiding this, and the enjoyment drops significantly when a certain detail doesn't quite float your boat or the story you are engaged in is suddenly dusted over.

The VERDICT:

Saturday Night is a movie that blends Hollywood magic and reality into a package that feels much more balanced than most. A chaotic world of actors, producers, and technical support trying to launch something new is inspiring and daunting, with emotions running high the entire time as to how much the central character faces. Fantastic acting, immersion in the whole process, and an engaging pace that goes alongside a countdown all come together to recreate history as much as possible. It felt good to have fun and find appreciation for what the live-taping shows do before the new age hit, and to see such fortitude and comedy in one, alongside the eye-opening drama, is a good marriage of styles. However, the nature of SNL and getting that first taping is a very aggressive movie with a very chaotic pace that might be overwhelming. With so many stories and characters, you are going to have to process a lot of material and culture that could leave you feeling robbed, depending on what you are going into this movie expecting. A mini-series probably would have offered more time to balance the characters and their tales and maybe expand it to a less niche audience. Outside of that, though, the movie is a solid film to look into, and I recommend giving it a shot if the material interests you, most likely at home for most. My scores are:

Biography/Comedy/Drama/History: 8.0 Movie Overall: 7.0.

LIKES:

The Artistic Message

The Unique Theme

Cinematography

The Sound Editing

The Makeup/Prosthetics

The Twists/Unpredictability

The Acting

The Horror At Times

SUMMARY My friend and fellow reviewers are correct in that the movie is certainly one of the more unique tails and takes on the Horror genre. Fargeat's writing loads the film with metaphorical content, all about the obsessions, vanity, and imbalance that humans have and the consequences that arise from it. Under his direction, the film is not afraid to show the hardships of life that come with the fickle approaches of fame and present a nightmare in manifesto form. Though we've had plenty of such tales, The Substance makes the material its own, taking familiar media and molding it into a unique story that is one of the more original films of the year. Powerful cinematography helps elevate that horror to new heights as it incorporates excessively long hallways of aggressive colors, dynamic movement that symbolizes the mind, and varying teases of shots that something is amiss. Even some of the aggressive changes were hit with the perfect sot that made my gut twist and bile rise in my throat. The effects are a gorgeous display of practical and computer meshing together to make the ugliness extraordinarily haunting, especially during the transition moments as the twists start to take the film to an aggressive level.

The horror aspect is certainly "elevated" in a manner that isn't traditional, relying more on sadistic material and unsettling body elements, all supported by a sound array that is much of the horror itself. A mind-bending, ear-splitting soundtrack accompanies cringeworthy, hyper-realistic sounds as bones crack, skin tears, and sinew is stretched. The twists and unpredictability help as well, sticking with the bizarre rules but pushing the boundaries with little apology to the audience. It's horrific, and the underlying messages only further amplify the things you are watching and the realization of what he means. And to seal everything up (so to speak), with performances that are quite stellar and some of the best I've seen in a very long time. Dennis Quaid is okay. He plays the extravagant role well, the magnified persona of an exec being satirically funny and purposefully over the top to hit the message hard. He plays that part well, but it's nothing blowing my mind. Qualley is a delight, bubbly and cheerful at one point, and then dives into the dark material the next. She is physically impressive for the role cast, but her acting skills show fantastic merit that is going to continue to bleed into a lot of roles if given the parts. Demi Moore is the star of this movie, though, and she has returned to the big screen with such style, authenticity, and compassion for the role it's like she is living the nightmare. Her screaming, her facial emotions, and the way she has to change so much in this movie are frighteningly spectacular and very worthy of recognition and awards. I loved her in this film, and she was a huge line that kept me reeled into the movie.

DISLIKES

The Artistic Approach At Times

The Pacing At Times Get Slow

Very Sexual To Pornographic Levels

Disturbing Content That Crosses A Line

About Thirty Minutes Of "Fluff"

SUMMARY And despite all the good of this movie, there are going to be things that I feel will not be as enjoyable as it is to a certain niche. Fargeat's artistic approach dives deep into the material, complex, bloated, and convoluted, leading to a semi-stagnant plot that feels like it will go nowhere for those who like a more linear plot. His vision is certainly a higher presentation, and the content that comes with it is going to turn many people away. The pacing got slow for me at points, material that is important but yet bloated, alongside material you might not be interested in, drew the movie out for me and made the movie a tad boring. Dark content as it is, I am not interested in a lot of sexual displays of the body that poke at the addiction to such content, but I felt it could make its point with a lot less aggression or at least fewer minutes dedicated to the visual. If that's up your alley and you love that heavy punch, this will do little to phase you, but for all his creativity, there could have been other avenues to explore. Past the hypersexuality, the material's darkness is already going to be more selective, but it really crosses lines near the end that are tough to watch. No spoilers, but The Substances effects are really disturbing and easily cross several lines that are excessive, ugly, and to many extent again unnecessary. Body Horror fans are going to swim in delight with the tricks at hand, which, combined with the impressive visuals, will make them grin a mile wide. However, a major warning to those with sensitivities is to avoid this movie and any pictures or clips if you can. Such excessive methods do little for me and again bloated the end that could have been trimmed away to help trim back the time limit. And for people like me, there was a lot of fluff that was not needed and, with a little curbing, could have elevated this movie to even greater heights.

The VERDICT: The Substance is a movie that is going to be the talk of the trade for a few weeks. It's a powerful visual essay on the frailty of the human ego and the horrifying elements presented are a powerful message on many levels. A powerful combination of visual and audio tricks alongside an original angle to present the material all work to make one of the scarier stories that I've seen in a while. Add in twists and a fantastic acting crew to unleash the full might of the character study in this dramatic entry. Yet, with such an artistic presentation comes a little more selective audience to enjoy it and I was not one of those who could not relish the entire movie. Fargeat's focus on hypersexuality, disturbing imagery that crosses lines I didn't want, and fluff that only drew out the film. Had the movie been about twenty to thirty minutes shorter, or if they substituted it with some other type of content would have gone very far to improve this movie. This is definitely going to check all the boxes for a lot of body horror enthusiasts who love such graphical prowess over a fully tight story. Is this worth a trip to the theater? If you are into this genre, yes, but otherwise a better use of time at home. Scoring this movie is tough, but factoring everything in, I'm giving The Substance:

Comedy/Drama/Horror: 8.0-8.5 Movie Overall: 7.0.

LIKES:

Animation

Voice Acting Is Not Bad

Story Feels Transformers

Surprisingly Good character development

Pace Is fantastic for the Last Two-Thirds Of The Movie.

Good For Kids and Adults (mostly)

Some Great Comedic Timing/Writing

Plenty Of Robots Get Decent Screentime

Action Is Definitely Better Than Live Action Movies

Awesome Musical Score

SUMMARY: The animation is fantastic for me, looking much like a comic book turned CGI film in colors, designs, and movements that are a step above some of the straight-to-TV/Streaming. Fluid motions carry for much of the film, whether they are transforming, fighting, or just shooting the Energon amongst the robots. A strong foundation to build on, the movie takes advantage of the medium to give us more Transformers and gives it that classic cartoon and comic feel. Action scenes are fast, fun, and full of that classic Transformers blasting, but yet have a bit more gruff to them as bots are assaulted without hesitation. Exciting racing scenes are a tad sporadic but, for the most part, hold the same vigor of high-octane speed with a Cybertronian twist to assist.

Outside of the animation, the movie's writing is very Transformers feeling to me in many ways. The comedy feels very 80s, fun, fresh, and very witty, with plenty of sarcastic hits to remove a lot of the tension that comes with this movie. When not being silly, the bots are diving deep into the story well, this time taking some real-life topics but actually incorporating them into a movie instead of forcing them. Many characters have some great dives into their characters, with Orion Pax and D-16 going through the most rollercoaster ride when of emotional changes. It's conveyed well by the voice acting, with Hemsworth surprising me with how well he did following the steps of Peter Cullen. He's not nearly as majestic, but I still felt the honor and hope that the leader of the Autobots is famous for having. Henry as D-16 may not have the sinister tones, hiss, or manipulative malice as Welkder, but when it comes to hurt and being gradually blinded by rage and pride, he nails that aspect alongside the brotherhood that this movie conveys. They work so well together and are my favorite, outside the strong, theatrical prowess of Fishburne when he is character steps in to assist. AS for Johnasson and Key, they are welcome additions in regards to helping add a little fire and laughs to the mix. The former has integrated Black Widow into a robot, and it worked for me in the direction this film took. Key is... well... Key. He is energetic, jabbering, comedic, and, of course, annoying, but he plays the comedic role very well, and it's a welcome component to off-lay the forlorn and morose tones that the others have early in the film. Finally, the movie does a decent job of balancing a lot of bots in this film, and while some of my favorites are not fully integrated this go around, I was surprised at how many had a decent time-fighting in the first fights of the series. What does this add up to? Just a great Transformers adventure that solves the problem of too much focus on the humans and not enough on the big bad machines.

DISLIKES:

The First Third Is Slow

Some Characters Don't Feel Matching To Their Characters

Predictable Plot

At Times, Too Much Comedy

Summary: Though I enjoyed much of the film, there are some components that I feel are going to be less appealing and limiting audiences coming to see this movie. A quick note: this movie is PG, but there is a language that will show up, though not the worst words in the cursing dictionary. Please take caution for those who like to repeat lines with little reserve. Moving to the bigger issues, the first part of the film is a tad slow and uneven, with lots of build-up and details to come, but not the action to help chop up the information and comedy rush that they try to do. This gets solved after the first third, but such a slow opening can be a little grating at times. The next thing that I think was limiting was the movie trying to force a lot of Nickelodeon humor into the mix, feeling like the current writing of Spongebob, where it was more stupidity than actual wit. Those moments were either ill-timed or just too much Key to the point of being annoying. And yet, that cleaned up well in the second half of the movie, with writing and timing much better as the movie finds its rhythm. The biggest hindrance, though, might be a predictable plot that takes a lot of Transformers material and folds it into a newer modality that sadly holds too much familiarity to be surprising. Even more so, I'm not sure how many of the characters match what fans of the series might expect them to be. I have only had a handful of stories in this universe, but I can say that these robots were not as close a match as some of those installments. Therefore, the purists of the franchise will not quite enjoy this direction and may find much of the film frustrating to see how different some of their favorite characters are from the characters they love. Those who just love and want more Transformers, though, are going to get their wishes in this film.

THE VERDICT: Transformers One turned out to be much better than I anticipated, and I quite enjoyed what this animated feature brought to the screen. It's a great adventure with deeper character development than I expected and a story with a little more heart and joy. It's dark at times, certainly, and the first part of the movie is very slow and off-putting as they build their new trilogy. However, once the second part of the movie starts, most of the limitations go away, and the movie really finds its wheels on the road of a Transformers plot. The film has fantastic animation to make everything come to life and is a solid choice to make future films if they can keep this magic up, especially with action scenes like we got in this film. And again, I really did just have fun with the movie despite how predictable the film was. Purists and very loyal fans may hate much of the changes made to the film and the characters, and I can understand that notion. However, this film is far more put together and Transformer-centric, which is what I desired from the Bay Films for so long. Should you see it in theaters? I say yes for many reasons. As for the scores, I give Transformers One:

Action/Adventure/Animation/Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Family: 8.0 Movie Overall: 7.0.

LIKES:

Funny

Well-Paced

Decent Acting

Writing

Creative Kills/Characters

Engaging Title Introductions

The Plot Has More Merit Than I thought

Summary: The Killer's Game is tough to review because of the direction Perry had in mind when he was going for (or so I perceive). It's a ridiculous spin to the action franchise with a lot of comedy, but yet still trying to hold heart, and to some degree, I quite enjoyed and felt it was good. It's got a faster pace, leaving little time for rest before the next exciting montage of death starts up, keeping you moving closer and closer to the finish line with each passing second. The plot that comes with it surprisingly has more depth than the trailers let on, primarily in the character development of Flood as he goes from ruthless assassin to maybe seeing more in life than the next kill to come. And those moments, even with a few of the antagonistic characters, even getting some more revelations to their persona. What I feel Perry got right is an almost video game/anime/movie hybrid, primarily because of the feel of the film in looks, movement, and even the transitions as each group is introduced. And though they all share a common blueprint, the characters feel very different in their approaches and presentation of their title cards. Even the untimely demises of many characters have that anime-esque ridiculousness to them, and though destructive and gory, they match the level of fun that went into this film I was expecting. What this boils down to is fun writing and a fun quality to this film that helps it stand out from the more intense films in this genre.

As for acting, everyone does their part well to make this crazy film come to life and not apologize for the colorful characters that have been recruited to make the hit. Kingsley gets a shout-out for his amazing work as the mentor, pulling his quality into thick accents, witty delivery of the lines, and that tough love parent that you like to counter the semi-innocence of Bautista's character. Klementieff is interesting in this film. Dropping much of her Mantis persona, the actress delivers rage-filled acid in each of her lines as she enacts her plans against the agent with little regret for what it takes. In contrast, Boutella manages to draw back on the evilness she normally conveys for someone more collected, sassy, and quite honestly delightful. A stunning display of love mixed with uncertainty, Boutella continues to wow us with her physical and verbal skills, stealing part of the show when she appears. As for the big man, Bautista may not have pulled out the unique factor this time, like his apocalypse movie, but the loveable oaf is still there and bent to new ways to feel different from Drax or his work in films like Stuber. The vulnerability mixed with simplified comedic delivery had me impressed with how he can juggle the two almost effortlessly, all while still showing impressive feats of strength that his muscles bring in full force. All in all, the dynamic he shares with much of the cast is the fantastic structure that does much to anchor the film from letting itself get too carried away.

DISLIKES:

Plot Still Needs More Finesse

A Tad More Violent Than I Had Hoped

Stupid To Many Degrees

Fight Choreography Is Both Creative And Yet Mediocre

Summary: Though there are fewer dislikes than other films, each one holds a bit more punch for me for this review. Despite being surprised by the depth of the plot, The Killer's Game does not quite go to the full level it needs to, given their efforts to make each killer unique. Perhaps it was too many gangs, or maybe just the direction; there was much more balance and time needed to make that effort worth the trip. Outside of the main quartet I mentioned in acting, others felt like bad guys in an anime arc that were gone before we even got a chance to know them. Does it provide variety? Sure, but at times, their intro scenes were more impressive than anything else, and such a flashy show might have more layers, but from the basic level of character use, it feels weaker than other movies. The movie is quite stupid on levels, too. Again, that felt intentional, but the stupidity sometimes gets a little out of hand and disrupts the scene for me, which left me chuckling but annoyed at the consistent comedic relief without the epic tension that films like John Wick can execute better. While this again adds dark humor and cartoon-like buffering, it just wasn't balanced in the best lights it could have been.

As for the fights, well, they are okay for viewers like me. Wick might be violent, but the scenes are connected with good choreography, excellent move-sets, and usually edgy combat that has you cheering in your seats. The Killer's game matches some of this quality in the opening moment but then diverges into quick montages of very forced-feeling fights. Bautista's movements almost look too practiced, and the fights are very mundane outside of the finishing moves that are quite savage to the point several audience members had their own commentary. It picks up at the end and brings some more boom, but even these still pale to other films with much more excitement and suspense without the continuous comedic interludes. And for those who have a low tolerance for extreme violence and language, this movie should be skipped. Wick is violent, yes, but this movie exceeds those films with much more gruesome displays of death, many painting some part of the set in the familiar crimson.

The VERDICT:

Overall, The Killer's Game is a movie that is entertaining in the respect of ludicrous amounts of comedy and action trying to find cohabitation. A fast pace mixed with some diverse profiles, the movie is so many things in one, throwing everything at Bautista to fight and doing it in that Drax-ish, style. To my surprise, there were more levels to it than I had expected, they just needed more time to maximize the potential and not feel too stupid or wasted in some quick finish. Aside from that, there are plenty of action scenes, and to some level, they have their edge and style that I think will be awesome for some people, again with some of the more unique finishers that are reserved mostly for video games. However, the rest of the fights often lack the finesse, complexity, and edge that other films have done so much better, one part due to the comedy aspect, while the other part might just be editing or limitations of time. Either way, the movie is okay. For spectacle and sound effects, a theater visit will make this the best experience; however, this movie may be best watched at home, given the other limitations I found with it.

My scores for The Killer's Game are: Action/Comedy/Thriller: 6.5-7.0 Movie Overall: 6.0.

LIKES:

The Setting

The Dialogue

The Ending Thrills

The Censorship Is Appreciated

The Music

The Acting

The Story Is Okay

Summary: The movie thrives on realism and pulls you into the drama and theatrics that a Thriller movie can sometimes perfect. It is a quaint and gorgeous cottage in the European countryside that sounds amazing for vacation but can change its tune in a very short amount of time. That innocence and inviting nature are maximized in the movie with fantastic visuals and a set-up that is almost a beast itself. And dwelling within it is a set of actors that hold the keys to unlocking the emotion of this movie. A limited cast means more focused acting, and I was impressed with the way these six interacted together in this very odd circumstance. Scoot's character fits well with the dramatic tones and irritation, crafting a relatable character, if not a bit annoying. Davis is a stunning display of this tension, the character you want to shout at the screen to use her logic to get away from where they dwell, but yet not overpowered (much) that they become a statement. Aisling Franciosi is a lovely addition, that character with mystery, intrigue, and an ambiguous nature that I tried to figure out which side she played in the movie. Yet, McAvoy is again stunning in how well he plays these engaging sociopathic roles. The way he delivers the lines, the creepy scowls, and the erupting bouts of anger are so scarily accurate that, at times, I felt it would be tough to hang with the man for fear of being butchered. He drives the movie well and, with the help of strong dialogue that fits well into the setting, delivers that psychotic edge to another masterful level.

Past these qualities, Watkins' direction manages to incorporate several other qualities that help add to the solid core they are bringing. For one thing, the music is a selection of tracks that incorporate the moods of the scenes and are quite entertaining as well. A few more songs could have helped, but I did enjoy the storytelling elements they held. The story is okay for the most part, more of a drama/thriller that is well laid out, moves in a logical, linear fashion, and comes out with some pretty good moments worthy of the genre. It's not the biggest stretch of conveniences, holding a sort of Lifetime Channel quality, but with a much better set of characters. The material in the movie is sensitive and can be triggering, fair warning there, but handles it with decent censorship that is still tough but not the most threatening or destructive like other films I have seen. Once you get to the end, the climax should help balance things out as well, given it still keeps in time with the theme of the movie but adds a little more edge and suspense that I wished had been in much of the movie.

DISLIKES:

Not Scary

The Idiocy At Times

The Stretches of Plot

Predictable Thanks To The Trailers

Summary: In terms of my dislikes, the movie struggles with the horror element for me and still has not scared someone who has been subjected to a lot of horror films. It holds limited moments that are scary, just awkward, lacks a real twist that is memorable or unique, and the setup doesn't quite have the intensity I was hoping it would have. Part of this was personal, finding that the smart mind was so prone to really stupid moves and wondering how they could make such a choice. Other times, the plot is too convenient, some suspense of disbelief, and that perfect timing or shot just happens to save the day (though these are minimal than other films). Yet the biggest limitation for me is the predictability of the film and the fact that it blunted much of the edge and suspense by giving too much away. Catch the trailers and pay attention to them, and you have about 80% of the movie with only the climactic end and the full scope of the deed left to be revealed. Even without the hints, the movie drops plenty of clues that one can predict easily. This was the factor that I think took the most from the film's enjoyment.

THE VERDICT Speak No Evil is a psychological thriller to some degree, but it feels more like a drama with thriller elements at times. A strong cast and setting are what impressed me the most, with McAvoy being the main thing I enjoyed watching with his stunning performances. Its strong dialogue helps add some boldness to the movie, with realism there to help add more sustenance that doesn't require a paranormal twist. However, the film is not the most spectacular thing to hit the silver screen. A movie with rather mundane elements and lacks something astounding to make it stand out. Though there was a good climatic end, the movie just struggles with most of the movie, bloated with a lengthy set-up that I knew most of the way. And if you have seen the trailer, you sadly have most of the movie as it gives too much a way to make much of the film predictable and that less engaging. Is it a theater movie? I would say this one is best at home to stop if you find the triggering content too much for your liking. My scores for the film are:

Drama/Horror/Thriller: 7.0 Movie Overall: 6.0.

LIKES:

Atmosphere Cinematography

Handles Reality Harshly

A Decent Character Profiling For Two Characters

Acting

Some Dark Comedy Theatrics

Summary: I give it to A24 that they know how to make a movie look good with the camera work and editing. The Front Room is not shy of making a horrifying movie by emphasizing the right shots to illustrate the horrors of such a situation. Fantastic filters alongside the use of shadows and close-ups stir the emotions and with it craft the emotional medley that might come with taking care of such a taxing family member. Even during the more...symbolic moments, the Eggers' direction manages to make the most of a simple shot with just the right ominous tones. Alongside those darker moments comes a portrayal of a harsh reality, one part due to fantastic acting, and another part due to the direction of the story and vision. I felt a lot for Brandy's character, watching her go through this hell to handle the pressures faced on her, and getting a lot of glimpses of what someone of Solange's character can be like when given an opportunity. That harsh reality is the true horror of this movie, and I felt every ounce of struggle in their presentation and the perseverance it takes to get through it. In classic A24 fashion, there are moments of darker humor to help alleviate the tension, and though much of it got underwhelming and quite annoying, fans of such comedic presentation should be thrilled with the theatrics at hand. From the occasional jab in dinner time banter, the vengeful acts that humans do, to the more aggressive jokes all await the audience who dare check this film out.

Yet for me, the strongest notion is the acting that carries this film. Will start with Burnap, a character stuck in the middle requiring a lot of flexibility in how his character was directed. He's got great tension delivery, helps add this traumatic effect into the film as it proceeds, and primarily in the first act holds the potential to show just how deep he can go in the well of a complex character. I felt he did well with the material in the latter half, but his stronger performance was near the start (more on that in a minute). Hunter is the next one I enjoyed. Though not her character, she manages to take the "classic charm" of Solange and unleash it in full force as she unleashes the full-on traditions into her new home. Her coughing fits alone are believable, but the way she adapts the accent, puts such ferocity in her tongue as she enacts her antics, and even the physical acting all hold such power as the movie progresses. As for Brandy's return, the actress brings back her chops to marinate in a darker role that shows the fire is still stoked in this actress. Between strong delivery of lines, a fantastic portrayal of mannerisms in an ever-changing body of life, and an incredible inner thought portrayals. Her chemistry with everyone makes the movie's focus on the characters stronger and I felt that she accomplished much to bring the most out of the ordeal. Thus, the character profiling for Solange and Belinda (Hunter and Norwood respectively), is quite endearing and by far the pillar holding much of the movie up.

DISLIKES:

Practically Goes Nowhere

Not Scary/Thrilling

Repetitive Shots

Disgusting Imagery That Is Center Focus

Sometimes Gets Too Political

Warning: Hyper zealous religion May Offend

Pace Felt Slow

One Character Is Confusing

SUMMARY Though there is such strong theatrics and acting, this particular A24 film had other elements that did not resonate with me. My list of dislikes I'll start with is an inconsistent character, Norman (Burnap) who at first seems like is going to be an engaging character, but then falls backward into an element that becomes more a symbolic tool than anything else for me. He was inconsistent and sort of forgettable compared to the other two and that was a shame given how well his first act was. I guess this matches the point of symbolism as the movie becomes swallowed up by the power of Solange to represent the allegory of choice, but I didn't like him getting the shaft.

Once past this though, the movie's other limitations for me start with the focused presentation style of the content. For one thing, the movie isn't scary nor holds the same level of shock value that the more supernatural films like Hereditary and Midsomer (to a degree) hold. It lacks that engaging bite I like in a Thriller, sticking to the realistic approach and dulling the promise the trailers made from their editing. Instead, the movie chose to use more disgusting imagery for their focus, giving us plenty of shots of bodily excretions that are very sad and very inappropriate for the amount of time they spent on it. Though I can handle the horror of it when utilized well, the movie becomes fixated on these tactics and feels like Groundhog Day without the story and fun. I get bored with such repetitive motions, especially when the plot is not progressing to any meaningful degree in the time, especially when it becomes a montage of repetitive shots that are again painting how time crawls in these circumstances. Such limited progress dragged the pace out, and I sometimes struggled to care about the movie. In addition, despite some classy handling of the political topics in this movie, there are moments where it seems some personal angst leaks out into the dialogue. These moments get a tad too in your face, or in some cases are going to get very upset with the way the doctrines are shared with us. Some moments are utilized well and important to the character development and sometimes fall into unnecessary tangents that again do little to promote the story. As such, the movie took a major hit for lacking a moving direction, nor engaging enough content to utilize such repetition to the full extent.

The VERDICT Stylish, seductive, and realistic (to an extent), The Front Room is a prime example of A24's powers to make odd tales others don't quite dare to tell. A wonderful artistic eye and strong performances are by far the strongest elements to paint this picture of such a strange set of circumstances. It's raw, accurate, and captures the trials and tribulations of taking care of an elderly family member. Outside of that, the movie is going to be geared toward those who want to embrace that mental challenge and symbolic adventure of spirit, sanity, and interfamilial drama. With less scare factor and more "shock" factor that gets caught up in the artistic presentation, The Front Room feels rather mundane, repetitive, and bloated with only a finite niche to really thrive on the things presented. It didn't move for me and the focus of watching excrement continue to emit out did little to entertain me, and the other scenes don't do much to move or make me happy. The verdict is... this is not one of the stronger movies and I recommend watching this one at home if you dare face the challenge of sitting through this drawn-out film. My scores are:

Horror/Thriller: 6.0 (better psychological thriller) Movie Overall: 4.0-5.0.

LIKES:

The Acting

The Characters Are Still The Characters

The Humor For Much Of It

Some Interesting Twists

The Music

The Visuals

The Nostalgia

The Fun

Summary: For me, the movie thrives big time on the specter himself, and Keaton has done a great job reviving the incredible goofball that Beetlegeuse/Beetlejuice is. His delivery is solid, his gestures are animated and fun, that grin is as playfully sinister as ever, and he just rolls with the role as if he never forgot it. I loved the moments he showed up and had a blast seeing him emerge from the town once more in all his silly idiocy. Ryder plays the adult Lydia to levels I didn't expect, still quirky, odd, and sullen, but losing the teenage angst in her growing up. I liked the side of her and had only wished for more time to see it in its full magnitude. As for O'Hara, the extravagant and overdramatic acting never looked so good in nostalgia. Annoying as it could be, she works it well into Burton's writing and sticks to the selfishness so well and delivers her comments in that dazzling comedic way. Ortega gets a shout-out for being the new girl, and I quite enjoyed her integration into the movie, the parts where she gets emotional showing that same talent of her other work, but never shying from the Wednesday vibes we fell in love with on Netflix. With great acting, all the characters, new and old, belong in the universe and that aspect was one of the biggest enjoyments of returning to the haunted town from so long ago.

Past the characters, the movie holds a lot of the charm that Burton created long ago. In terms of visuals, the movie is loaded with all the spooks taking haunting elements of the netherworld and blending them with the cartoon splendor. The makeup and costumes are eccentric and fashion-forward, the flashing lights and smokey lounges still instill that finality and doom that is terrifying, and even the living world feels dismal with the ashen direction. The music that follows adds those tones at times, haunting pieces by Elfman blending whimsy with woe as the Burton nightmare realm with the bells and string instruments. The non-orchestral work is composed of some very classic songs, and their use is quite amazing in terms of the themes and humor of the movie, especially the song at the chapel. As the movie progresses my fellow viewers crack up as the humor ramps up with some very dark jokes, some extra spicy language, and the silliness that only the Juice could do. The story has a few interesting twists to wind in that help add a little surprise that keeps things fresh, fun, and surprisingly a little more at stake than I expected this comedy to have. If that still wasn't enough, the movie accomplishes that nostalgic twist so well but introduces modern takes that blend well and add the new age edge that surprisingly works at times for some great humor and tactics by the powerful specter. Such balance helps pull more fans in and again gives it some originality to not be just another rehash of an established film. And primary element was... the movie was just fun, and it was an enjoyable time at the theater that thrived in the theater for the effects alone.

DISLIKES:

The Pacing At Times

Character Usage

Going Too Far At Times With Dark Humor

Morbid Concepts At Times

The Subplots Interfering With A Lot Of Things

SUMMARY: For all the phone though, there were some limitations that sort of tripped up the quality of the movie and made it less enjoyable than I had hoped. For one thing, the movie does go too far with the humor and morbid concepts, veering away from the playful fun of death and smothering it with some rather disturbing images of dismay. I hated having fun and then suddenly having the carpet yanked out for some darker dives into mortality. These elements are a bit too gross for my liking and often serve little purpose to the film but another display of modern technology. Yet, these are trivial compared to the main element I did not enjoy... much of the plot. Burton was ambitious in this telling, and though he got the feel of the movie, the story that binds it is much weaker than the first installment. Beetlejuice's second venture has a lot of subplots fighting for the limelight and many of them are portrayed as weaker than I had hoped given all the hype. The woman searching for the Juice is a wasted story with limited effect on anything but a small origin story. Astrid's tale is cute, quirky, and deep, but loses all of that for an attempted climactic obstacle that lost so much steam and died but with a lame chase and an awesome joke. Even the story of Delia's growth felt dulled, with the side comical stories more complete than the main tales themselves. This contradiction means the movie gets in its own way and sort of becomes a jumbled mess of stupidity that though fun was just bland. And that effect makes the pace inconsistent and hastily executed and for that, a less impressive spectacle than the advertising let on.

The VERDICT Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice is a movie that is loaded to the nines with fun thanks to Burton's direction of visuals, sound design, and humor all wrapped up into one package. Keaton's return is much welcomed, and alongside the other cast, brings one back to the messy, silly, and dark world that marries life and the afterlife. I laughed a lot and appreciated the balance of past and present to make a modern sequel that is enjoyable. Alas, the story is also a bit more modern, with too many tales crammed into a small amount of time that again doesn't allow any of the elements to fully marinate into the full spooktacular spectacle it could have been. Combine the darker elements and more morbid persona, and you might get a little less enjoyment compared to the campiness of the 80s. Still, it's an enjoyable film that can be enjoyed in the theater if you get a chance. My scores are:

Comedy/Fantasy/Horror: 7.5-8.0 Movie Overall: 7.0-7.5.

LIKES:

Nice Angles/Atmosphere

Realistic Setting

Good Camera Work

The Acting is Not Bad

Does Show Perspective

Some Creative Uses of AI

Short Run Time

Summary: The movie is shot beautifully, giving an artistic flair that Blumhouse always manages to add to its films and provide it with style. Good camera direction helps to give some of the more terrifying elements of the movie, primarily good shadows, and use of corners, and that set up for a good jump scare to come into play. It may not be the most unique camera style, but it works and adds degrees of artistic presentation that I certainly enjoy. As for the acting, the movie has some decent performances to work with the script and idea and they do their best to sell the horror being conveyed. Carradine had the potential to be something great, and for the time he has funny lines and pleasant nature to try and cut through the tension, he just needed more time and development to get more praise. Waterston is fantastic for the dramatic elements, vocalizing the struggles of someone with much pain and regrets, but not so separated from reality to know what she has. Her grief is conveyed well and avoids the annoying elements that sometimes come with dramatic focus. Cho though is the winner, the guy brings so much balance to the film and makes one of the more interesting characters to try and decipher the solution to his problems. He's fantastic with his delivery and I quite enjoy the delivery, even though he could have used a little more range to help.

In terms of the story, the movie accomplishes some okay dynamics in regards to what I extrapolated from the trailers. The realistic setting is, again, fitting, and even more so, a plot that supports being in such an environment and is not reliant on convenient exposure to demonology. Afraid is a movie that digs deep into artificial intelligence topics in a manner that was okay for entertaining me with the potential threats of the creation. Relevant topics found in the news are an excellent medium for the threats that AIA makes, weaving it into an evolving array designed for each member of the family. I was impressed with the creative tactics, some of which come with some jump scares that are thanks to sudden blare of the instruments. Yet, the negative aspects are balanced by some positive components as well, adding some light to the darker elements the movie is about, while also providing some fitting humor. As a result, I found the movie to provide plenty of perspectives about the nature of the AI, and by the end delivers some strong moments that drive the point home about how careful we must be. And if all this puts you in a coma, then be happy that the run time is fewer than ninety minutes, so you get out of there without too much trouble.

DISLIKES:

Mostly Predictable

Not Scary

Dumb Characters At Times

Some Annoying Plot Holes

The Plot is Not Engaging Enough

Pace Is Too Fast For A Complete Center

Too Ridiculous At Times

Summary: Sadly, this is a Blumhouse project, and sometimes those can be sillier than scarier. Afraid falls into that category for me for many reasons, and it starts with the story. Certainly, there are messages and warnings inherent in the writing, but that's about where the excitement ends for viewers like me. The tale is predictable and reduced to stereotypical subplots that are more melodramatic and relevant to a younger audience. These plots are not very engaging, sort of stapled in for the horror of AI, but never really come to a complete, or exciting integration that remains coherent or climactic by the end of the movie. Many elements seem deleted from the main plot or blunted to a concise delivery that felt stiff and incomplete. And some moments are so ridiculous that they are great for a laugh, but sometimes placed at the wrong times to interrupt any building momentum for scares. This winds up taking the edge off of the movie, a boring horror that lacks the teeth I think many are hoping for, except for a few jump scares mentioned earlier. There was potential there, but that short runtime does little to give the movie the full hit they were going for.

LIKES:

The Visuals

The Acting

The Message From The Books

The Action Scene To A Degree

SUMMARY: Modernization has worked in favor of The Crow primarily in the special effects that such a tale requires. Fantastic visuals are key, using cameras, filters, and whatever other tools to make the dark world feel malicious, evil, and weighing down on me while I watched the film. Such an approach helped me appreciate those little glimmers of light, sort of reinforcing the lessons that this film works to portray. As Eric's journey progresses, the visuals get called upon further as crows emerge in the air (mostly realistic), dark shadows play out, and the action starts to ramp up a bit to require some assistance with crafting the damage being done by our anti-hero. It works on many levels, especially the various injuries and healing of those injuries that somehow display rapid healing in such sinewy delight. These effects primarily come to the full presentation during the climactic action scene, though now they are transitioning into more of the violent kill effects than healing, most of which come out quite effective, with only a few gaining that computer shimmer. This action scene was the primary sequence that matched my expectations from the film, and though not the most exciting, did have some of the more vicious and creatively dark finishes to a majority of the extras cast in this movie.

Outside of effects the movie's primary strengths for me start with the acting. No surprises, but the involvement is limited to Skarsgard over anyone else, and the leading man continues to establish a solid footing in his acting, still finding ways to expand the "Horror" genre he remains invested in. I enjoyed the transitions made in this movie, and he has a look and aura about him that radiates the darker side of love this movie is fixated on. FKA twigs is fine in this movie, she has this light and innocence to her, but drowned in the dark dismay of trauma almost everyone in this universe holds. I wished for more time with her, but the glimpses we get here and there are strong enough to give some great chemistry that helps elevate the movie out of the darkness. And Huston is fine, underutilized, but fine in the standard performance. All of them together help to establish the message the series is famous for, light and love despite all the darkness in the world. It's powerfully reinforced in this movie, albeit a bit cheesy for me in the dialogue, The Crow's modern tale is still enough to pull you into the stronger moral tales that were ingrained in the dark lore before.

DISLIKES:

The Plot Is Mixed

The Action is Limited

The Gore Is A Tad Too Much Of The Focus

A Semi-Weak Antagonist Development

Pacing

More Character Interactions Or Character

A Tad Boring

Lacking A Lot Of Charm

SUMMARY: In terms of my dislikes, much of this has to do with sort of lackluster deliveries on a lot of other levels of a good story. I have not read the novels, nor have I seen the original, but in this rendition, the movie feels a bit too wrapped up in the visuals that so many other things fall through. The story has elements I like, but we seem too fixated on this relationship and not enough on the "anti-hero's" journey to get the full investment of the character as he navigates the dark waters. Many of the character elements feel hastily integrated, hidden gems of motivations, complex deals, and the like that come off one to two lines in a more dramatic theme than anything else. It leads to shallow character development and interactions, primarily in the weak antagonist who once again is more blowhard than engaging. Maybe that's the lore, but to get a talented actor and not let him bring his experience with malicious characters to full exposure was a crime regarding another lackluster opposition. And with such pale and weaker characters, alongside a rather mundane story, The Crow's narrative might be forgettable.

Perhaps the visual effects and action are enough to add that splendor like other films do. For me, the visuals do not offset much as there weren't a lot of scenes that blew my mind or maximized the action components. Much of the action is simplified, unbalanced, and over before it ever really started, often in a quick pull of the trigger and nothing more. Sure, the last scene has those moments, but due to the nature of the protagonist's powers, a one-sided battle loses much in terms of stakes and excitement. Instead of skill and unique sets, I felt a very slogging walking where gore was the focus to make you squirm in your seat, which I think makes the movie even more limited. When combined with the other limitations, the movie's pacing feels a bit lacking and the result is a movie with edge, but a rather dull edge without the charm and campiness of the first film.

The VERDICT

The Crow is another example of a movie with style over the full presentation that hits a lot of movies. I don't think it's the worst thing to come out of theaters, but it certainly is lacking something the earlier entries had when technology wasn't the focus. A good acting crew, edgy special effects, and a message are this film's primary points of light, but they only glimmer rather than shine like in other installments. Instead, the film is a bit more focused on gore and destruction, with cheesier dramatic elements to emphasize the morals and message of the film. With more walking in the rain and talking than action, and rather limited characters and time with those characters outside of this love aspect, The Crow needed more work or a miniseries span to accomplish the goals set out. For the visuals and theatrics, sure the theater will do well, but this one might be best left at home for optimum viewing. My scores are:

Dark Fantasy/Dark Romance/Horror/Action/Superhero: 5.5 Movie Overall: 4.5-5.0.

LIKES:

Love the Cinematography

Some Of Satirical Dialogue

The Genuine Concept

The Acting

The Music Utility and Tracks

The Second Half Of The Film

The Conclusion To Most Degrees

Summary: Kravitz's direction is stunning on many levels and the director and her crew seem to embrace the Dark Comedy aspects in several ways as she adds Thriller undertones to it. A nerd like me loved the setting, a beautiful tropical island with a setting that is sunny and delightful, and mysterious and ominous at night. Beautiful lighting and dynamic camera work unfold to grant subtle hints at what is to come without drowning us in tones that wash things out. I felt there were fantastic choices to get the perfect shot that embodies the emotions at hand and yet never gets too artistic or pointless. The various flashes help add that psychological twist, and yet never deter from the focus of the movie like some other independents do. Outside of visuals, the movie uses great sound techniques to help amplify things and often does not go into the ear-splitting violin shrieks that horrors do. I loved the musical tracks, an array of musical styles that fit perfectly on both an enjoyment level and a tone-setting utility that works so well for movies like this. As for the dialogue, again, dark comedy genius wrapped up in one part realism, one part nihilistic, and many parts clever in the way they poke and prod at societal nuances. I liked a majority of the dialogue in this film, chuckling at the quips, with plenty of moments that had me drop my jaw at the lines they crossed in this film. Even better, the acting was awesome for me, and the three leading billings wonderful as they executed the complicated combination of this movie. I quite enjoyed Shawkat's performance as the best friend, the silliness balanced with the skepticism that this role requires. Tatum's creepiness is top-notch, this aloof and yet calming tone that holds elements of something brewing, but yet holds the promise that there is something more than what the trailers showed. It's not the best performance, but I quite enjoyed seeing this type of role that utilizes his other attributes and pushes his skills higher. But Ackie is the best of the bunch, a strong combination of confidence, vulnerability, and fear that all culminate in a character who has her own enigma to uncover. The chemistry is solid between most parties and many execute the writing so well.

As for the story, the movie has an element that is "artistic", but incorporates a lot of content into one package that I enjoyed for the most part. The genuine concept holds serious elements within the satire, a mystery, and a thriller of trying to uncover just what is going on with all parties and a solution to get out of it. However, that's just the wrapping, for within it is something a bit more serious and perhaps traumatic that helps to anchor us to character development. Those elements come out in the second half of the film, the part that hits viewers like me and unleashes everything I wanted and more as the thrills start to pick up and the answers are revealed. I found it exciting, fun amazing, and delivers those moments with attitude, flair, and that edge I was hoping was being built. Rolling into the conclusion, the movie has these awesome moments that utilize much of the setup coming back full circle and ending on that perfect kiss to seal the deal. That was the part of the movie worthy of the theater and found it to be one of the best endings for me in a while.

DISLIKES:

The Opening First Half

The Character Imbalances/Development

The Pacing

Some Of The Asides That Aren't As Clever

I'd Have Liked A Little More Time In Second Part Of The Movie

Summary: However, the movie was not perfect for me and I agree with many reviewers that there are elements that did not impress me to give this movie a perfect 10. The deeper content of the story is a triggering factor that might not be enjoyable for people, though the movie handles it okay, but still a warning more than anything else. True dislikes start with character imbalance, a cast of characters that do enough for inclusion, but I thought would have a lot more involvement given the setup of the movie. However, their use was more along the lines of the dark comedy side and though enjoyable, I had hoped for more given the sinister tones ever-present in this movie. Some cursing and graphic moments aside, there was nothing else outside my main limitation for this film, the first half of the film.

The first fifty minutes of the film are not my cup of tea. A very slow setup, past the first ten minutes, much of the film feels like watching a drug and drinking orgy. With various montages of life, much of the film is just watching the hedonistic charms come to full spectacle with only a few elements of mystery or thriller sneaking in to try to put a story. Does it establish part of the tale and the setting? Sure, but why this could not have been ten to fifteen minutes, or ingrained with more character development, or maybe some parts of the mystery revealed sooner? But this first part was slow and just embracing drugs which does little for me when there is limited movement with it. Then when the transition point occurs so rapidly, the pacing quickly starts to ramp up and suddenly slip past what felt like a very important part. Then as the excitement goes further, it only speeds things up and the parts I relished were over too quick alongside the suspense. The asides that happen too are comedy styles that don't work for me, monologues, and heavy-handed divergences that I already got the lesson for and don't need to be forced to remember. Some of these are funny, but some I see being very annoying for audience members who don't like political topics in their movies.

The VERDICT: Blink Twice turned out to be one of those surprises of the season and I was enamored by much of what Kravitz has executed with her movie. Strong artistic directions and clever writing respect all the genres that are crammed into this film, and I think help establish a more realistic thriller than most films have. The strong acting and a fantastic second half that brings that satisfaction are the best parts of the movie and are worth viewing no matter where you choose to see it. However, the first half of the film might be a limit and was the biggest dislike for me in this film. A rather bland drug fest that didn't quite mirror a good preface, nor did it engage me like the second half, I would have liked Kravitz to skip the spectacle indulgences and have that wit she showed through most of the films. With a few imbalanced and limited character development and some asides that might not work, these are the primary elements I think to take away from a strong movie. Thus, looking at it all, I think this film is worth a theater visit if you are looking for a surprise, but again, please use caution for some of the topics that are addressed in this film. My scores are:

Dark Comedy/Thriller/Mystery: 8.5 Movie Overall: 7.5-8.0.

LIKES:

The Graphics

The Sound Editing

A Few Of The Characters

The Thrilling Pace

The Story Is Better Than Anticipated

Some New Twists With Some Quality Skill

Acting

A Cool Action Scene

SUMMARY: Alien did amazing things in those first movies, but the modern-day technological prowess accomplished so much to bring the world to life. Fantastic graphics combined with practical effects have once more built an incredibly horrifying world that feels desolate, cold, and dangerous as our "heroes" progress. The various forms of the aliens have fluid movements, with much more attention to detail that emphasizes the Xenomorph anatomy to higher degrees. Throw in solid technical effects of the station, and new ways to bend water and light to craft a flooded field, among other components and we have a winner when it comes to making the world feel realistic. A personal victory was paying enough attention to detail to not interrupt the graphics of the films that preceded them (a nice nerd touch). As for the carnage, yeah it's pretty vicious and right on point for the fans loving the immersion involved with visceral destruction.

In regards to the tale, Alvarez surprised me with his way of blending the universe into a cohesive story that is familiar, but still a different take from Ripley's campaigns. Several characters have enough merit to attach to and root in hopes they survive the ordeal or at least pull off an awesome move. Their background stories have some depth, we have some tension, and it helps to flesh out the typical guys and girls who venture into the Xenomorph gauntlet. Good acting by some solid leads helps to sell the characters with Jonsson and Spaeny being my favorite in how well they take on their character's mannerisms and the chemistry they share with the others. Tough, vulnerable, emotional, and contained, it was a solid balance for me the likes of which I haven't seen in this franchise in a very long time. The actual plot has got some interesting angles, taking what seemed like a simple synopsis and conforming it into something that helps expand on the universe, pulling inspiration from several other films that play well to the lore. It incorporates good details and has that scientific premise the series has thrived on. Yet the science doesn't detract from the bout of survival that this movie is advertised as. Romulus has plenty of those classic Alien thrills as they do their best to accomplish their goals amidst the derelict space station. There are some decent action sequences, some thrilling scare components, and plenty of that Xenomorph finesse that the fanbase has grown to love. It's got a little bit of everything from several films that adds that homage factor a nerd like me loves.

DISLIKES:

Predictable

More Time With Several Characters

More Of The Station Could Have Been Seen

The Ending's Twist

The Ending's Bloating Of The Time

A Few Plot Stretches

SUMMARY: However, the tale is not devoid of predictability, which thanks to the extensive advertising has resulted in a lot of the deaths and tales being very predictable. If you've avoided the scenes or forgotten the trailers you're in luck, but overexposure takes away part of the suspense that a series thrives on. In addition, I felt there was more to do with the characters, but several felt kind of shortchanged and reduced them to more fodder than meaningful characters. More action and suspense with the characters were welcome, alongside more time to see what else the station had to offer and potentially unveil more of the horror that would culminate in the big reveal. Yet the biggest limitation for me is the final twenty minutes and incorporating the twist into a final bout. Sure, it provided extra scares, a new adaptive structure, and several other facets I can't say to avoid ruining anything. Yet, I for one found it rushed, a bit awkward, and gross, a tad too much from the part of this franchise I'm not a fan of, and bloated the run time when there was a perfect stop point to launch from the next time. These moments are certainly memorable, but the execution felt a bit messy and crossed the line I had hoped to avoid.

The VERDICT: Alien Romulus accomplishes much of what I had hoped to see in the film. It returns to the origins but adds that splash of modernization to rev up the graphics and chaos present in the series. The carnage, the action, the thrills, and the horror have all come together in this film, and with a tale that has some more depth than I expected, it's a welcome addition that did beat most of the recent Alien films. True, the story is very predictable, the full utilization of everything and everyone still falls short, and I did not enjoy the final twenty minutes with the new twist. Yet, most of the film has accomplished a lot that gives me hope the Alien franchise may have more stories to tell in high-quality detail if given the same attention to detail as this one and Prey. Accounting for all of this, my scores for the movie are:

Sci-Fi/Horror/Thriller: 8.0-8.5 Movie Overall: 7.0-7.5.

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.