NDbportmanfan

Thoroughly enjoyed this one, my main takeaway was Roman Sionis. I expected that he would just be a filler villain with little depth while Harley takes most of the screen time, but I was wrong. His twisted personality was in full force and earned the R rating. They even included his germ phobia with the gloves. Honestly he might be the best villain since Zod.

Action sequences were incredibly fun and the pacing was good. I would have preferred a more linear story with this type of movie but the back and forth wasn't too distracting.

This doesn't even feel like a superhero movie, more like an uplifting crime drama. Does that make sense? I can see people watching this after a break up and feel better having seen it. Harley's pain is shown well and you can't help but connect with her.

If you love Harley Quinn this is a can't miss as her character is given the needed depth that was so lacking in Suicide Squad. The other supporting ladies also shine in their limited roles.

Quick thoughts on the episode, I think this is the first episode we actually see the suit in the light multiple times and for the CW budget it looks great. The hair... still awesome and really makes the suit pop even more. The writing is still what it is but at least now Alice has someone to bounce lines off with that makes her character more interesting. Kate getting better I guess relatively speaking from the previous episodes but the writing isn't helping Ruby Rose. The villain was okay but this show should have tried to avoid reusing characters that have already been on Gotham the TV show because now we can just play the compare game. Love of hate Gotham but they adapted the well for the most part. Another okay episode nothing that will bring people back to the show but not bad enough that those who are still sticking around will leave.

6/10

I would like to know if someone else directed the flashback scenes because unlike the present, those were enjoyable to watch all the way through. The present continues to be a weird mess. I would appreciate the Alice character more if a good half her dialogue wasn't from Wonderland quotes. It is episode 5 and it is getting stale. The worst scene would have to be from the step mother and step daughter. For the dark past that is being told neither character was really reacting in a way that made sense. Other scenes were more unnecessarily comedic when the subject matter was far more dark. Characters can grow before are eyes when they deal with tragedy, this will never happen if the writers keep trying to throw dark themes at us but continually make characters oblivious to the stakes.

5/10

I think the easiest comparison for this movie would be with the Alien franchise. As the first Predator would be viewed like the original Alien, intense and full of suspense with some action. The 2018 Predator felt like it was going to be Aliens from the trailers full of action, comedy and from what I think really diverging from the original. Instead it is more like Alien Resurrection, having some big ideas on the table that could have been interesting but instead are left by the wayside never being fully explored. Ultimately this movie is very forgettable but I'd being lying if I said it wasn't watchable. Some moments had me chuckling enough that I can say I didn't hate it when the credits rolled. If you lower your expectations a bit you may well come away and even enjoy it.

Die Hard fans however will probably hate it no matter what and I can't really blame them because the Predator is really a punching bag if I am being honest. He never really showed a cunning side or any type of real hunter specialty during fights. He is just there out in the open like some b movie bad guy; I found that to be a weird choice.

The Predator is certainly watchable and out of the cast I'd say Trevante Rhodes gives the best performance but it is certainly nothing you would expect from a Predator movie. So this is my warning review just be prepared for way more comedy then action or suspense.

5.5/10

I think my major problem with this episode is the under utilized villain. She almost comes off as just a nuisance that can quickly be handled whenever Kate is done dealing with her own problems. I really do not like seeing that and it happens in all the cw shows. These are 20+ episode seasons can we at least have a handful of villains get two episode arcs. Acting is fine except for the father's one random outburst per episode it seems. Overall story line seems to be progressing slowly but then will have a way to fast wrap up finale. Love them or hate them CW definitely has a pattern with their story telling all the more reason this show should be kept in the same respect as the rest of the lineup.

6/10

The roller coaster ride I am having with this show continues. Having enjoyed the pilot only to be disappointed in episode 2, 3 has brought back the potential I had originally seen. Story seemed far more pallet-able with the inclusion of Elliott. It wasn't all over the place with random cuts here and there. Tone was still off at times but no where near as bad as the previous episode. It felt like I was watching an Arrow episode for better or worse. My hope is the show has hit their stride and isn't an anomaly.

Solid 7/10 episode

Boy, oh boy, I was an early defender for this series but after the second episode; it leaving me scratching my head. The worst offender so far is the writing, we are seeing little development in the story and even less of which is the tension/stakes. Overall direction in how some of the scenes are shot has me cringing way more than the first episode. The lead example was when Kate's father opens the door to speak with her at the station. Immediately had The Room flashbacks as his emotion was so off it was laughable.

I have low expectations for the adaption going in as CW doesn't really do a great job at rolling in emotional or deep stories but rather slap you in the face with morals in that 3 min window they have. I want to like this show but pitfalls of one liners that look as if they are physically hurting Ruby Rose to say just makes me uncomfortable.

Acting wise I would say I am only enjoying the performances of Kate, her former girlfriend and her step sister. Everyone else is woof so far. The villain is a weird choice as we just had a similar character done much better in Gotham. She seems to be over doing it but I cant blame the actress at this point as the direction and story is so off coming out of the second episode.

Hoping for a redeeming moment or character addition after crisis because I can't see this show coming back around at the moment. They already seem like they are missing someone.

4.5 - 5/10 somewhere in that area :(

My early thoughts on this show are positive. Having given all the CW/DC shows their fair one season shot; I would say this pilot reminds me of Arrow for better or worst. It is mainly just a quick episode of self discovery. The problem I have, like I have with all these shows is that they quickly try to convey their characters intentions and personality so they can show references and action for the most part. This show isn't as guilty as others but those issues still show up. You know what really fails with this approach, showing that Kate is a lesbian. I felt it came across too heavy handed, like they did with Alex Danvers on Supergirl. I shouldn't leave a pilot only knowing that my main character is unapologetic and is gay. I know she will become a deeper character as the show progresses but as an episode that is supposed to hook in the audience; I think it failed at making Kate as likable/sympathetic as they could have.

Character arcs aside now, I did enjoy the story in this episode as it is set up well and lacked any cringe that I have been seeing on most of these shows. The main reason for this I believe is that this show appears to only be scheduled for 8 episodes compared to the usual 18-23. This is refreshing as the other shows have a lot of useless filler and one off villain, which is why I only watch the Flash now. The story can now focus on one villain and hopefully focus on Kate to develop her properly.

This shows is not as bad as the review score says as users voted on this way before the episode concluded. My thinking is that they saw the trailer months ago and where angered by a key line being "The suit (Batman's suit) is perfect" (Fox) "It will be, when it fits a women" (Kane). If that doesn't set off fanboys I dont know what will. I liked the line as it captures her personality perfectly. If the line bothered you; I doubt the show is for you. Otherwise this show seems to be far more grounded like Arrow/Black Lightning than the others. Will it be ruined by the crossovers, time will tell but looking at Arrow's current state I lean on yes. I hope to be wrong as this show looks to have my attention.

6.5/10

Also if the current 3.9 score sways you away just watch an episode from season 3 of Riverdale (same network) which currently sets at 7.2 and tell me which shows deserves the 3.9.

Ready or Not is about a newly wed bride that has to play a game in order to officially be welcomed into the family. The game that is chosen is hide and seek, with the catch being if she is found... well you can tell from the trailers.

The one thing this film really does well is keeping the tension high while also supplying well executed humor. Which is vitally crucial in a silly premise such as this one. The sister's husband plays a role that embodies the audience as he is questioning the games logic, pageantry, and real end game. His humor along with his wife really makes the movie memorable.

Much like real hide and seek the entire thrill comes out of the high tension hiding moments and the sporadic running scenes. These are thrilling and they felt more intense because the writers wrote a character that seems a little deeper than other scream queens of the recent past. We are even given a character in Daniel that helps carry the story when she isn't in the picture.

Once we get past all the thrill and kill moments comes the third act or more importantly the end. This had all the momentum going into it from the previous scenes, but the end just falls flat. Honestly they should have added another 20 minutes to this as I would assume audiences are wanting more to the lore, or maybe that is just me. Where it stands now its okay because it was out there and few probably would expect it but you will go away thinking it had a lot more potential.

This movie should be watched but there is nothing spoiler heavy that waiting until a home release wouldn't be the most viable option. I can see myself watching this one again in the future.

I have to say I enjoyed my experience with this film overall; it feels somewhat unique in the style and story structure. The closest comparison I could make would be 1973's The Wicker Man but somehow far more traumatizing as some of the scenes even made me uncomfortable. This coming from someone who has sat through Requiem for a Dream on multiple occasions. Even with all the shocking moments this movie was shot so bright and beautifully that you can almost feel at peace, which is just amazing to say. Acting was superb by everyone with the great balance of humor and drama.

The downside I found was that after the credits rolled it felt a little empty. Maybe I expected more having enjoyed Ari Aster's previous movie, being so deep in family drama but I never cared about the characters as much, like I did in Hereditary. They didn't seem to get the proper amount of depth I thought they would, instead it seems there was more focus on shock value than character development. The other more minor problem was the run time. Coming in at nearly 2h 30 which I have no problem sitting through it just seemed to be a lot of dead time where I was left think to myself "where is this going."

Did I have a good time with this movie, yes. Would I quickly give it a second viewing, no but there is a hesitation just to see if there are clues I missed.

As far as premiere episodes go, the show did what it needed to do. They hooked me; I found the general concept interesting and when it was over I was left with questions. Mainly with how the bridge worked and what is happening to the children. The characters so far haven't peaked my interest but I'll wait to see how the main characters interact with one another. On the technical side there were some editing hiccups and our female leads knowledge of the bridge doesnt add up. Other than those problems I enjoyed the episode.

I'd go 8/10 on this one.

Game of Thrones is filled with so much lore that it is easy for fans to conjure up theories to how it all will go down. The extra year wait probably didn't help the anticipation either. Honestly this show garnered so much popularity that this season was doomed to fail to meet expectations. Can I say that I am not part of the angry flock who despised this final season? No, I even go as far to say I am someone who would say the show peaked at Season 4 and has had a steady decline. There are problems I have with this final season but there is a good portion of things that I was happy about as well. A 4.5 which this episode currently sits at is absurd. Only the Dexter finale is in the same ballpark in terms of consistent opinion.

The only thing this season failed miserably at was keeping Daenerys character in the grey. That whiplash we suffered midway through the season from which Dany was power hungry but wanted to help everyone to full on ruthless dictator is something fans will never forget. We have to lump in Grey Worm as well because his arc may actually be more annoying than Dany's.

Other problems I had was Drogon's awareness of the situation; (I never understood how intelligent the Dragon's were in this series) he destroyed the throne and knew the significance but one Dragon can't pay attention to an oncoming attack? Jon's arc of being blind until realizing, oh wait Arya, and Sansa will not bend the knee even though they told me numerous times we don't like Dany. I should definitely stop her now was just a big head scratcher.

I did enjoy the end when the new king was declared and all the Stark's got the ending they wanted. There was even some good banter as the leaders discussed the future of the seven kingdoms.

Is this the best series finale ever? Certainly not, but I feel at peace with this conclusion...even though it probably isn't going to be the last GoT show we see. We got that prequel and I am sure Arya will have some spin-off down the line.

I was hesitant going into this movie because I was aware of the quality of the storytelling in the video game. The game is very dull to say the least, the adaption to the screen however was good. The highlight would have to be the amazing visuals. Pikachu looked incredible with his free flowing fur as did the rest of the Pokemon. The storytelling was also a plus, now I didn't find myself getting invested too heavily in the plot until about half way through. Honestly that opening scene could have just been scraped as it didn't add any emotional connection to the male lead. Speaking of the lead, he really didn't do it for me. He couldn't seem to give convincing emotional performance when it mattered. I about had the same reaction for the female lead when the film started but she and her adorable Psyduck grew on me. Obviously the star of the movie is Reynolds who gives us another great comedic performance. All the jokes were timed well and always hit.

This isn't the greatest Pokemon movie ever, but I can say you will enjoy your time watching. I would say it is similar to Ready Player One in quality; it is visually pleasing with enough quality writing to make you leave the movie with happy thoughts.

I really want to try a make a decent review about this movie but I can't seem to come to a conclusion whether or not I can definitively like it overall. As far as the plot goes it seemed like a real cop out way to solve all the problems while also leaving as many doors open as possible for future ideas. The story does a terrible job at being able to stand by itself in the cinematic universe as there are so many call backs to past films. Fans who have seen all the movies will have a blast but those who are not familiar with the 21 movie lineup will be left out of the loop. I have to recommend refreshing yourself with some of the significant entries in the universe to fully appreciate the spectacle you are about to see.

Like I said in the title this movie has so much fan service that you can't help but leap and yell they actually did that! Of course I will not mention any of it but it had to be said that they get a freaking A+ for adding as much as they did in one jam packed movie. I am honestly trying to express my feelings about the beautiful ending but no matter what I type, it feels as though I am going to give something away. I will keep it short and say they made it so sweet, sincere, and heartbreaking that this may be where some fans will stop watching and say "this is the conclusion I wanted"... well of course in actuality they won't cause the MCU is awesome but the thought will cross their mind. :)

Overall I have decided that I enjoyed watching this entry but still prefer part 1. Mainly because it is concise and straight forward; you really have to be open minded and go with the flow in part 2 which I didn't enjoy.

When I first heard about this movie I was expecting a thrilling adventure movie with some comedic moments. This was not the case, the overly long title is a dark drama about war told in an allegory. This is all well and good but my brain never went there while watching. Even after getting past the silly title and the marketing that was done to convince me this was more comedic. The opening seemed to reassure my position, also when Calvin looked at his watch and it had a swastika for hands what else am I supposed to think in terms of tone?

Sam Elliott is great in this role as Calvin but he seems to be the only highlight. The story drags like nothing else when he is alone which is most of the time. Even in the two-part flashback there is little to keep your attention. Honestly the second part was just a time filler as it didn't add any depth to the story.

I can appreciate the message this movie is trying to communicate but nothing else in this movie was memorable or interesting. I can't even think of examples of engaging plot as I type this. This movie is ultimately forgettable apart from the title.

It seems as the Marvel Universe widens, audiences are either given a more grounded story focused narrative (Winter Soldier, Black Panther) or a goofy comedy (Ragnarok, Ant-Man). Is one style better than the other in this series, no. Will people bring down one side only because they prefer the other, of course. Captain Marvel happens to fall on the comedy side of the spectrum as we ready for the anticipated sequel in April. It is by no means a perfect movie but I left surprised by the events and was happy that I decided to watch it in the theaters.

The overall story arc saved this movie as the decision to make Captain Marvel a comedy didn't work as well as I hoped. Larson plays the character with a certain toughness that when she had to deliver comedic lines they don't hit and feel bland. Being teamed up with Fury didn't help much either. The two stars did the best they could and they did have a good buddy cop feel but they certainly were not funny...or was the funny part how unfunny they were, I don't know. I do expect Captain Marvel to be better received in the Avengers movie as that tone should fit the character more.

I also enjoyed what Marvel did with Carol's arc as a whole. Most importantly with the fact there is no love interest in this movie. I will say Wonder Woman is a better film but they focused too much on her relationship. I preferred this movie in terms of developing the main character. They did a great job at humanizing the character giving her flaws and helping her overcome and lead.

The stand outs would have to be Talos and Monica Rambeau. Talos added much needed depth to the film while Rambeau is a great character and I expect to see her in future movies.

Overall this is another solid addition to the lineup; it sends a positive message and at times is very sweet.

The sequel is just as thought provoking if not more than the first film. They just get there in different ways. The first Lego movie was full of action memorable tunes and cameos all leading to Emmet's realization. Part two however feels far more grounded which is weird to say for a movie created with Legos, but it is true.

The character performances were just as fun as ever, even if the jokes kind of dropped off in quality. The new additions fit in seamlessly. Even Pratt pulling double duty doing so kind of John Wayne-esque voice. The best had to be Beatriz as General Mayhem. I have to imagine audience would think two people voiced that character but no she just has that much range which surprises me at least to no end.

Back to what I said about this movie being grounded; I almost feel younger audiences will not enjoy this movie. Of course every kid is different but I have to think the majority will be turned off by the lack of thrill. Instead this film does a wonderful job at building Emmet's and Lucy's character growth through out the movie while also conveying social issues in a manner that does not feel preachy but inspiring and heartfelt with a little bit of humor.

I believe this movie will grow in appreciation with age even if current critics do not find it as enjoyable as the first. This movie should most definitely be seen in the theater, but your expectations for a action/comedy should be taken down a bit.

Having watched the two back to back; I can safety say this one is better. The problem I had with the original is that they tried to incorporate too many characters into the battles. 1993 had 8 while the new version just had the main two on the battlefield. That leaves plenty of time to actually tell Broly's story in a meaningful way. Which is done fantastically I might add as the flashbacks even help new viewers understand the lore.

The fight scenes are very long but the visuals are so amazing that I certainly lost track of time as I was marveling at the beauty. I also was happy with Broly's power growth throughout the film as it felt more realistic than the original movie.

What I didn't like about it was a lot of the jokes. I know Goku is the comic relief of the series but I do not enjoy when other characters like Frieza act goofier than him.

This movie revitalized my love for the series (It died off after watching GT) and I am excited to see the other movies connected to the Super series.

I really expected more from this movie. Having known going in that Smith would be directing his own daughter and her friend; I thought more care would have gone into the script. I was sadly proven wrong.

The jokes fall flat with the repeated jabs at the Canadian accent and Canada in general. The premise is pretty dull which I can sit through if the impending payoff at the climax is worth the wait, but it wasn't. It almost seems as the though the villain was an after thought with the main goal being to showcase the two leads. Now this script is bad and I don't even mean so bad it is funny. No this is bad like I honestly feel for the cast, bad. There was only one scene in the whole movie that I can say I didn't cringe and that was when the girls spoke with their principal. Sasheer Zamata was probably the best out of everyone in the movie.

This movie gives the feeling that audiences were not supposed to see it. That this was just a fun home movie for the Smith's and Depp's. As I can see that they had a good time making it after watching the director's commentary.

I can easily advise people to skip this one as their are zero redeeming qualities... well unless you like seeing an A-list (Depp) celebrity give one of his worst performances.

A24 has one of the better track records in the business and Hereditary doesn't disappoint. From the trailers, I gathered that this would be an okay horror movie with annoying jump scares. After seeing the initial reviews I had to give this a try on opening weekend. I am happy that I did.

Hereditary is more of a slow-burning thriller with an interesting story and a stellar cast. Toni Collette is the stand out and she really carries this film through its weaker spots to hold the viewer's attention. She plays a mother who has been through tragedy her whole life and will have to deal with more after her mother's passing. The events that follow will test the whole family's strength. Many of the scenes are dark much darker than I ever expected and they are even more impactful given how grounded this film is. This was simply exciting to watch; I was engrossed from beginning to end.

I have heard others say that this is too long given how long the movie takes to pick up. I disagree as the exposition really helps set up the tone of the family's relationship which is critical to understand in a film like this.

If you love thrillers like Get Out or lite horrors such as A24's The Witch than give this one a go.

In 2014 we were given a PG-13 animated movie called Assault on Arkham. It was a fun movie with twists and plenty of comedic moments and of course the Harley and Deadshot relationship. Spin forward straight past 2016 to 2018 and we are given another excellent yet different Suicide Squad movie.

This time around we are given an R rated version of the squad that has an all around darker tone. Gone are the cute quips, except for Harley who surprisingly is really only a background comic relief character. This group is mainly headlined by Deadshot, the crook with a heart, and Bronze Tiger, the good man turned vigilante. These two were enjoyable to watch butting heads especially with Boomerang constantly making things worse. The whole group dynamic was great seeing that more than four characters had a good amount of screen time.

Hell to Pay was darker than I was expecting it to be. I know it was rated R but so was Justice League Dark and there wasn't too much there to warrant that rating. This however does as some of the scenes where just brutal for animated standards. Not only the action but Deadshot's character arc is dark.

A Suicide Squad movie tends to be interesting when the team's members start flipping their alliances and are put in tight situations where the bad guys have to check their moral compasses. This movie definitely delivers in those departments. That is another benefit to these animated movies, they are not really marketed in no shape or form like the live action. As in viewers will actually be surprised at the twists when they unfold. This movie actually has twists and character inclusions that I wasn't expecting and was overjoyed to see. Hell to Pay is a great addition to the DC lineup and should be seen by DC fans or people who enjoy a good heist movie.

First off, it is probably safe to say this movie isn't for everyone. Namely due to the lack of dialogue and the use of subtitles. Now I am not saying there is a lot of subtitles but they are there and that does turn some people off. For those of you who are not against this form of storytelling. It is certainly a great watch.

There was just a constant state of panic throughout the movie, at no point were any of the family members truly safe. The movie gets right to the point and never drags a bit. We jump right into the action straight away no annoying intro of how the world changed in a 10 min montage which I fully appreciate. We instead focus on a family and how they survive. You will care about this family too and all of the characters baggage as the days continue. No scene is wasted everything had merit and intensity which is amazing to see from a first time horror director. Also the lighting was great, thought I would just add that as it really set the right mood for the story.

The only thing that really bothered me was the pregnancy. He was careful about everything through out the movie but he couldn't consider the immense consequences of having a screaming newborn with these monsters around. That is one of the few faults I have with this.

Now this the main reason why I wrote this review, how should you view this. This should be rewarded for its great storytelling with good box office numbers but I just don't think the theater is the best place for someone to watch this. The intensity occurs because of the silence; you feel a sense of fear from the pin drops and the creaking of floor boards. It is hard to gets this if someone is talking or if you can hear the movie in the next room playing. If you can avoid these then defintely check this out in the theater. If not then this is a perfect movie to rent when it comes out for purchase.

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One more thing for the people who love the Last Of Us, watch it. It is the closest thing to a Last Of Us movie until the real thing comes out...eventually, or at least Part 2.

Justice League consists of getting the six heroes together to fight Steppenwolf. We see how they interact with one another with comedic jabs and how each is destined to save the world. That is the core of this film as we are shown. It has been said WB chopped the film up as they don't want a long run time, so they can show more screenings of it. This is the third out of four films that have gotten this treatment and it is getting ridiculous. Snyder has a good vision for this universe and he obviously enjoys making it as a fan. All WB wants to do is market and merchandise the product; they could care less about quality.

This pieced together attempt is not good. Parts of the film had my attention but as a whole it fell flat with a poor CGI villain and an under-explained McGuffin that was the three mother boxes. The cuts were obvious as we were jumped around far too often which gave the scenes less significance. Some of the acting was pretty bad as well, mainly from Affleck and Gadot. The dialogue didn't help them either when they tried to joke about serious situations. DC can't just copy the Marvel model, they need to embrace their darker universe and give fans what they want.

The highlight was the performances by the other actors. I was surprised how much I like Cyborg and the suit looked better also. Flash was a good comic relief even though they made him a little dumb in some parts. Aquaman was as expected pretty awesome but he didn't get a lot of screen time. Most of his scenes we already seen in the trailers. Superman was better in this movie as he wasn't doom and gloom the entire time. I had no problem with his character in BvS but he had to lighten up a bit or the team thing wouldn't work.

I really wish some other company could take WB's place as they are ruining what could be a cool universe. I am sure casual movie goers would sit through a three hour DC movie if the quality was good as advertised. Star Wars: The Last Jedi will be 2 and a half hours and I am sure Disney will not lose money on that investment. I just don't know how many more screw ups WB wants to go through just for the sake of a larger profit.

After watching this I might be done siting through these. If the directors have less freedom than Marvel directors I am not sure what to say about the future of this franchise. There is zero creativity and it might get worse from here.

Another good episode this week that primarily deals with the city council campaign and alliances. There is some wavering in the cult and viewers are left wondering will they or won't they throughout this episode. For me it was well done and the overall intentions seemed fitting, but maybe a little over the top.

The brightest spot of the episode is seeing the return of Mare Winningham to the series. Last time she was Ms. Evers in Hotel. To no surprise she brings another good character to the show.

This episode did seem to have a plot hole in the story... well maybe two. I was taken out of the moment thinking if this was an editing error or what at the end.

8.5/10

Ummm... for those of you that were turned away from this season because of the politics. Come Back! The season has turned a corner and is now as strong as ever (You can skip episode 2 though). 11/9 was great but Holes takes another step forward. We get more needed backstory and everything is starting to piece itself together.

To be honest this season is actually shaping up to be one of the better ones. We are given a good villain that we have a little sympathy towards, and his cult members have their own person goals and are not just a bunch of goons that can't think for themselves. Are only main problem now is the protagonist is a little too helpless. Hopefully there are more people in the town willing to fight the clowns, because Ally and crew may not be enough.

8.7/10 seems about right.