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Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
This was unapologetically goofy and I loved it
WW 84 is so goofy, nonsensical, and I had a blast with it. Patty Jenkins has essentially gone back to the Richard Donner era of cape flicks like Superman. It wears its heart on its sleeve and embraces the cheese of its romance, its plot, and just all of its comic book antics that we don't really see anymore. Whatever you think of the old school comic book films is what I think will either make it or break it for you. You gotta just embrace the tone and run with it, otherwise, this is probably not worth checking out. Everyone seems pretty turned off by it, but I thought it was just good silly fun like the old days!
The Mandalorian: Chapter 16: The Rescue (2020)
I guess this is just what Star Wars is now?
I'm sorry to say, I did not LOVE this season. To put it bluntly, I thought it was disappointing. I have no problem with Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm, I actually have liked most of the movies, and I really can't wait to see what people do with this universe as the possibilities are endless. Unfortunately as time went on I began to feel as if they were afraid to take chances, like they just refuse to doing something different. They continue living in the shadow of things we "already know". Most of the films just seemed more interested in packing references and old characters than actually giving us something new. I thought S1 of Mando was that spark of hope that maybe Star Wars could be more than just "The Skywalker saga". A space western combined with samurai elements that inspired Lucas all those years ago, it was great! I was hooked. S2, started off like this excellently, I loved the first two episodes, and then it just slowly started crashing and burning for me. This show has tons of connections to Clone Wars, Rebels, and of course, both the OT and the Prequels. I'm so glad people like seeing their favorite characters appear from past media, but now it's come at the cost of the characters we were given in THIS show. I feel like we lost Mando's story in there and he became part of the background to give the spotlight to these fan favorites. Because that's what this show just is now, the fan service machine. I mean how small is this Galaxy that we have to have Luke Skywalker show for an action scene? How is this any different from Vader killing rebels in Rogue One? The de-aging thing has just gotten tired too, and it's a painful reminder that this company will not let the past go as they'll just keep resurrecting these actors long after they're gone. This season finale might've killed my feelings for The Mandalorian, and it just keeps reminding me that Star Wars becomes creatively bankrupt if you keep relying on nostalgia to make fans happy. Who knows maybe that's just what Star Wars will always be now. It's hard because this season has amazing direction, action, performances, but the writing just killed it for me. If this is what Star Wars is now, I've given up hope for the future. If you like it, that's cool, but I hope I can help illuminate some feelings you have if you were pretty mixed too.
The Mandalorian: Chapter 15: The Believer (2020)
The stakes are really rising!!
This was hands down the best episode of the season for me. Beautiful direction from Mr Famuyiwa. Great personal stakes for Mando. The action was superb, reminded me of Fury Road, but also a little Platoon? Super stoked for the finale. BILL BURR THOUGH.
The Mandalorian: Chapter 11: The Heiress (2020)
Clone Wars Fans: You're gonna LOVE this one
I'll be honest, I'm not a huge fan of Clone Wars, I didn't grow up on it, I've seen the major arcs, but I'm not overly attached to it like I am with the original trilogy. This season of the Mandalorian seems to be a hit/miss with people so far. Most people thought the last week was a filler episode, but I personally liked that one? I didn't think it was great, but I liked that they use abandoned concepts from the movies to make fun little side quests. It really adds to the tv medium for me. This weeks though, I really wasn't feeling it, but that's just because I know for sure this one was made with the Clone Wars callbacks in mind. When you see it, you'll know what I mean. I think that speaks volumes about the variety of fans Star Wars has as a franchise. You have people like me who just love the older stuff, but you have the fans of the prequels and the Clone Wars show too, and I think The Mandalorian bridges that gap nicely. If you're a big fan of Clone Wars, I think you're gonna like this quite a bit. THIS is definitely my least favorite episode of the show so far but it proves to me once again, this show has something for ALL fans of Star Wars, and THAT'S worth celebrating.
The Mandalorian: Chapter 10: The Passenger (2020)
Wonderful tribute to abandoned concepts in the OT
For anyone that's really into Ralph McQuarrie and his concept arts for the original trilogy, you'll probably be amused but the fact that this episode contains Knobby white Spider's, a creature originally meant to appear in Empire. It's the little things that show how mega of a fan Favreau is of the original films and how attentive to detail his world building is with the Mandalorian. While this particular episode didn't advance much of the plot, it makes me appreciate how this show sticks to the medium it's made as, a weekly tv show. And for this being a Star Wars show, I love how it has little mini adventures every now and then to just let us have a little fun in this world. I know it might not be everyone's thing, but I dig this little filler episode!
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
A very real portrayal of America today in the eyes of this infamous trial
The Trial of the Chicago 7 is intense, shocking, and EXTREMELY relevant. Aaron Sorkin's new court room drama is a very fiery portrayal of a trial that exposed a system failing its country, and proves that as always, history repeats itself. It was a very long and theatrical case, and of course, it was politically motivated. This may not be Sorkin's best script for how over the top it can be, but the film is just bursting with energy and charisma, it's hard not to like. The performances are just wonderful in particular Mark Rylance as the defenders attorney William Kunstler, who I would personally pick for a nomination this year as he was just SO GOOD. This is a film that even if it feels on the nose, still makes a great point about the issues we're still dealing with today. Corrupt politicians, police brutality, and a country that's in pain from the people it has lost, and continues to lose. This isn't a film with new ideas, or new messages, but just really excellent delivery from its performers, it's filmmakers, all in the service of a very powerful story. While I can't say it's perfect, I still REALLY enjoyed it, and I highly recommend you give it a watch. Despite it being a dramatization of the story with some Hollywood-isms and Oscar Bait tactics, it's a truthful reflection of our current reality. Which is why I'm gonna say, it's one of my favorites so far this year. 9/10.
Star Wars (1977)
The Perfect Film
Writing these words is like beating a dead horse at this point but I just can't help it. Watching this at a Drive In, 6 months after my last time sitting in a movie theatre due to Covid-19, made watching Star Wars that much more interesting for me. You really take in that technical marvel that this little movie was and it makes you think about how much it changed the world. It has everything, the imagination, the fillmmaking, the adventure, ITS ALL HERE. Empire may be the better Star Wars movie for me, but Star Wars from 1977, not New Hope with George's updates, just Star Wars the theatrical film is perfect, and may possibly be my favorite of all time.
Hamilton (2020)
"The Story of America Then, Told by America Now"
The time has come. The lights go down. King George III welcomes us to the show. Hamilton has finally arrived in a beautiful HD presentation! You've heard of it, you've listened to it more times than you can count, you've bopped to it and belted the words on your friend's aux to their absolute shock/confusion. Now we can FINALLY enjoy it on loop over and over again on a non bootleg copy, that's right NO MORE SLIME
TUTORIALS! Considering it's called a "Hamilton film I would say it's right in my ballpark don't you?? First of all, the show is amazing. It's among the best the stage has to offer in the modern age. The music, the performances, the writing, the production, it's all BEAUTIFUL, if you haven't seen it yet WATCH IT NOW, but what truly makes it SO good? In the words of Lin Manuel Miranda, "It's a story about America then, as told by America now." The Founding Fathers are played by actors of color, among other characters featured in the story. The show is having us leave whatever cultural baggage we have about these historical figures at the door, and embracing this story through the eyes of America NOW. Yes it does leave some factors out, yes it's not all historically accurate, but people need to realize the point isn't to tell an IN DEPTH biographical story of Hamilton, but rather show us how his life and the events that he took part in helped form the foundations and ideals of what this country was built upon. This show is very Patriotic but it reminds me of what America is SUPPOSE TO BE. WHAT IT COULD BE. Much like the young people of my generation going out and marching for the racial injustices in this country, Hamilton was a 20 year old immigrant that fought for the freedom of this land and helped shaped the principles in which we aspire to uphold. This show isn't going to acknowledge our systemic racism roots with people like Washington and Jefferson who factually owned slaves, but it challenges us to contemplate our OWN feelings about this country and where we came from. How far have we come? What has changed and what could WE do better? Could our founding fathers have done more to abolish slavery? Absolutely, but think about what they did try to create and lay the foundations for. Who knows what they could've done if they had more time? It's not meant to idolize these people, it's a piece about the birth of America, and what people like Hamilton did to help a struggling new country find its own identity. When I watch/listen to this show, I believe in that. I believe that America WAS already great, we just lost sight of it and let the wrong people get in charge. If you want to know why, watch Hamilton. The story of an immigrant that fought in a war, and made a name for himself in a ludicrous political game, is a story that will be remembered for generations. Miranda and his team found an incredible medium to tell these people's stories, and that's what it's all about, who tells our story? How will we be remembered? Hamilton's now available on Disney+, I highly suggest you watch it for your 4th of July this weekend and many days after... But as a final reminder don't forget, this is at its heart, live theatre. Hopefully when Covid ends we can actually experience it all together the way we're suppose to, in front of the stage, LIVE. But for now, this will of course do! 10/10.
The Last of Us (2013)
An experience like no other. PLAY ON GROUNDED MODE
It's been nearly 5 years since I've played the Last of Us and I kept asking myself, why? Why would it take me this long to return to something so good? Now I remember.
The Last of Us is an experience you savor with time. For me, I wanted it to always be sacred and unpredictable. I never wanted it to feel uninteresting because of how many times I've played it, so it's honestly only my 3rd, maybe 4th time playing this. This game isn't just about survival and zombies, it's about overcoming grief, trauma, understanding the weight of violence, and realizing what makes us human.
This playthrough was obviously in preparation for the sequel, but it was also the conclusion to my Naughty Dog marathon I've had since April with the Jak and Daxter trilogy, the Uncharted series this past May, and now this. It's been an insane ride to say the least. Naughty Dog has proven to me time and time again that they are possibly the greatest developer when it comes to single player experiences. They don't just make really engaging gameplay, but they go out of their way to craft some of the most cinematic experiences I've ever had in the history of gaming. They make games for people that love movies, so for me, THIS IS MY JAM.
The Last of Us has an outstanding presentation from start to finish. Everything mostly holds up 7 years later, and the graphics are still absolutely stunning. The environments are always interesting and full of depth, with plenty of places to explore and collectibles to find. There's always a story behind them like the notes or the letters, it shows the different
scenarios people found themselves in within the apocalypse and they're always so haunting to read, especially if they're placed next to the dead or buried.
The game has a unique approach to the look of the Apocalypse as it's much more green than your typical Zombie/Survivor film. Nature has grown without limit, and the world almost looks better because of it, at least when you look past what remains of society. It's like Earth hit the reset button and starts itself over, plants are growing better than ever. Algae grows on everything, and animals roam free, it's truly a unique look to a post apocalyptic world and I applaud Naughty Dog for trying something new with that.
Gameplay seems to be a divisive part of this game as some say it's innovative and unique, while others say it's tedious and repetitive. I found myself more on the latter when I first played it only because I was so use to the fast paced, run and gun shooter style from Uncharted. Fast forward to this last week I took a leap of faith and decided to take on the biggest challenge for this game, grounded mode. Taking the survivor mode a few steps farther in the absolute hell of challenges. Supplies are next to non-existent. Listen mode is disabled. All enemies do triple damage. The HUD is disabled. On the remastered edition, the controller's light-bar no longer changes color to indicate Joel's health. Enemy AI is extremely sharp; more so than survivor. Multiple mid-combat and mid-stealth checkpoints are removed. Allies do not grant ammunition or health kits (except David during the infected gauntlet). The revolver, however, does instantly kill non-infected enemies without armor, which I guess isn't a perk that even the easiest difficulties have. I'd be willing to say it's on the level of a Dark Souls game only because you have to approach each section like a puzzle. It's a game of trial and error, you will die, A LOT. The lack of supplies and ammo made this game feel so much more real for me. Every choice I made, every move I took, felt like a life or death situation. Do I save my ammo? Do I fight enemies head on? Do I try and take them out one at a time? Or do I just make a run for it and hope the game lets me progress through the next section? These were all serious situations I found myself in playing the grounded mode, but it made me realize that this is the definitive way to play the Last of Us. The lack of hearing mode and the scarce supplies added to the realism of this world and Joel's predicament. Health kits are essentially useless as you could only take one hit or two bullets before you die. I had to adapt to every situation possible, the stakes FELT HIGH. The different enemy types really added layers to the combat here as well, some I could melee, and then others I had to strategically use ammo on. In some cases I was lucky to have at least one smoke bomb or a Molotov, but most of the time I just had next to nothing. It adds so much terror and tension to combat to an already intense game, it's nuts. It's stressful mode, and it perfectly matches the world of this story. Joel isn't Superman, he's just a guy using what he has, and that's what this forces you to do. The crafting and upgrade system felt so much more important and complex to me than it ever had before. It forces you to engage with the gameplay on a level where you must plan ahead and carefully choose what you improve and what you take with you. I dare anyone who says this game is repetitive and tedious to play this mode. It must be seen to be believed, and it has become one of the greatest achievements I've ever had in the history of gaming.
Gameplay is well and good but we all know why we love this game, the story. THIS STUFF IS GUD! The critical element of the Last of Us in what makes the story so perfect is how Naughty Dog essentially creates empathy in the player. Every scenario we find a character in, we feel. The opening scene shows us the fallout and the start of the aplocalypse through the eyes of Joel's daughter Sarah. She wakes up alone in their house, getting messages from her uncle Tommy, seeing a horrifying news broadcast on the tv. Only for Joel to pop in and an infected "runner" to follow. This entire prologue is chaotic, terrifying, and an absolute nightmare to play. To see people running, buildings on fire, people dying left and right, it's truly a horror masterpiece in the genre. What solidifies it even more is the insane hook of seeing Sarah get shot by a US military personnel. There are very few movies I can think of where a kid get shot in the opening, and seeing it here along with Troy Baker's performance as Joel, is truly disturbing and haunting. It's a scene we can never forget because of how much empathy we feel for Joel in this situation.
Fast forward 20 years later we find Joel in a post pandemic world. The pandemic was started by a fungus that spread and infected the brains of humans, turning them into monstrosities that plague the earth. America is divided. There's the quarantine zones for everyday folk run by what's left of the old system, there's hunters and survival groups, and there's the Fireflies, a group that seek to restore order to the world once again. Everything here we find through exposition and what Naughty Dog gets right is delivering it via the world as you explore it with Joel. It allows the world itself to deliver you the information you need to figure out what's happening, who and why, and you get the jist of it real quickly without it feeling the need to over explain things. Joel at the start of the game is shut off from everything. After Sarah's death, he's lost all sense of hope and humanity. He shut his brother Tommy out, he lives with a fellow survivor, but he doesn't have any drive to do anything beyond serving himself. This obviously changes when we meet:
Ellie, this character is the heart of the Last of Us. Played by the brilliant Ashley Johnson, Ellie is a teen who is the key to saving humanity as her blood somehow became immune to the virus. As Joel becomes wrapped up in her situation, he finds himself tasked with the job of getting Ellie to the Fireflies. The truth is revealed and the road trip across America begins. They meet other survivors, fight hunters, infected, and trek across the dangers of the American wilderness if they are to get to the fireflies and find the cure. Every chapter of this game has weight to it, there's so much that happens, and it all of it works because of the relationship/chemistry between Joel and Ellie.
The performances of Baker and Johnson bring these characters to life magically and I think Naughty Dog knew this game couldn't work if we didn't believe in these two characters. This relationship holds the foundation together, it's what gives the game a human experience. Joel teaches Ellie about the ways of the world that she's too young to remember, and how to survive in the new one, but Ellie teaches him what it means to be human again. With her humor and her voice, he learns to bring people back into his life again. Consequentially he becomes attached to her as a surrogate for his daughter, and she becomes desensitized to violence. They both teach each other, but they also ruin each other. They both have their own fears and traumas, but they both overcome them in their own way. It's a really interesting dynamic that I don't think has ever been explored in a game before and I understand why it has received the praise that it has.
I gotta give it to the supporting cast too for making an impression. I really liked every character in this game. They all had some level of depth and development, and I remember all of them which is honestly a really hard thing to do when you have to focus on your main characters like 100% of the time. Whether if it was Tess, Bill, Henry and Sam, Tommy, or David, they all made an impact, along with some wonderful performances. I couldn't believe Nolan North was David I literally just realized it after this playthrough I mean ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? What a different but also really interesting character for him, and he did such an amazing job!
This game for better or worse, is an experience that stays with you. Even after all these years it just blows me away. I have no idea if Part II could live up to this legacy, but I have faith in Naughty Dog. 10/10
Da 5 Bloods (2020)
Not Lee's best but still very moving and important
Challenging, thought provoking, and downright chaotic. Spike Lee's new joint Da 5 Bloods is a wild one, and he does not hold back any punches here. What starts off as a road trip/reunion film about a group of Vietnam vets looking for the remains of their old comrade and their treasure, turns into something brutal and raw. It's a war movie, but it's a movie about humanity too. It doesn't just signify the cost of war and the effects it has on the individual, but the hate that's created from it. What I love about Lee is his insistence on making the audience a part of the film and not just the "observer". When he wants you to see an image he really wants you to SEE it, and boy are there a lot of haunting images in this film. I think what people have to understand is this isn't just about the black experience of the war, it's the experience of being human and the path we walk. The character of Paul is a symbol of someone who chooses to walk the path of hate and how they refuse to stop walking that path. I'm a little bummed that Lee decided to make that character a straight up Trump Supporter as I find that to be less subtle and more likely to trigger people into turning on this movie since that could ignite it into a more politcal conversation. It's like Lee gave up some of the subtle tactics to ensure the audience is receiving what he's getting at but I honestly don't think he neeed too, the dialogue and the characters are profound enough to get that message across. Showing a MAGA hat becomes a little too on the nose and I know people are just gonna trash all over this movie for that reason, but hopefully I'm wrong. This isn't Lee's best film, but it's a deep and interesting one. I love how he cuts between different aspect ratios and makes the flashback scenes look 16MM it made it feel that much more immersive. I think he could've trimmed down the first half as it's at least 20 minutes too long, but that didn't stop me from really feeling moved by what he did here. It's a hard watch, but it's a necessary watch, and it only adds to the conversation right now of the black experience I can't stress that enough. It's a disturbing, violent, and graphic film, but it needs to be seen. 9/10.
Artemis Fowl (2020)
This could've been so great
Ohhhh myyyy. I didn't think Artemis Fowl would be this bad, but it's worse, much worse. This movie is a complete mess from top to bottom. Nothing about the story or its world make any sense. There was clearly a lot that was left on the cutting room floor and I'm curious as to how much Kenneth Branagh was involved in the post production process as I'm just shocked to see his name as the director. I really wanted to give the movie the benefit of the doubt, the settings look visually interesting and I like the concept. I thought that maybe it was building to some big pay off, alas I was deceived, nothing happens at all, at least nothing I care about. Even despite the editing, this script is an absolute nightmare. No clarity to who or what is happening. Josh Gad gives a laughable performance as being the film's narrator/expository guide and it's just awful to listen to with his offbeat voice. The cast is full of very talented people and none of them make an impact. Judi Dench gives possibly the worst performance I've ever seen from her and that's saying something when you've seen Cats. I'm fairly certain I read this first book when I was younger but I couldn't even tell you what it was about. I'm sure the series has its fans, but this is clearly not the adaptation they would want. It once again proves that YA novel adaptations need to go/or adapt as a tv series to really stretch its plot/characters more. Even though it's on streaming, I still wouldn't watch it. It's by far one of the worst films I've seen all year and don't even recommend seeing it just for how bad it is. 3/10.
The King of Staten Island (2020)
Well done but a little overboard on length
I really liked the King of Staten Island but dear Mr. Apatow, pleaaaase edit more? Every Judd Apatow movie I watch there's this sweet spot I hit where I'm in absolute love with it, but then I realize there's still 45 minutes left and I'm scratching my head on why he it insists for things to keep going. That's really the only negative thing I can say about this movie otherwise I honestly loved it. I feel how personal this story is to Pete Davidson and he gives such a real and genuine performance that doesn't feel sappy but doesn't feel fake either. When we deal with grief, we look to the things that help articulate our feelings and for me that's looking to art, this spoke to me on that level really profoundly. Davidson has a really dark sense of humor but you realize that's how he copes with tragedy and I really respect him for that. This movie was genuinely heartfelt, funny, and human. Even if the plot wasn't moving fast, I felt engaged strictly based on the character interactions and that's worth a praise in my book. Apatow knows how to write people and make them feel real so that's very present here, but man just edit the films down a tad, there's no reason for his movies to go above 2 hours, not for me at least. The King of Staten Island is a true reminder of what it means to cope with grief, pursue what you love, and find the good moments in the little things, it's absolutely one of my favorite movies of the year so far, even if it runs a little overlong in length. 8/10.
Scoob! (2020)
The first 15 mins were perfect! The rest was not.
I was sooooo excited for the new Scoob! movie as Scooby Doo was of course one of my favorite cartoons as a kid. One of the things I'll say right off the bat is, it's cute. I liked it enough where I think it's a totally a safe recommendation for all ages and it's probably one of the best family films to watch right now that's of course, new. You know I'm gonna have to be honest here though and say, I really wanted to love this more. The first 15 minutes of this movie were actually perfect, if the rest of the movie had been exactly like that, this could've been a 10/10 for me. It was hitting the right nostalgic beats with the origin of the Mystery Inc gang, their very first mystery, and a verbatim recreation of the original show's intro. I was getting so amped for this movie after that intro, and then, that was it. It never really bounced back from that strong opening and stumbled into generic family movie territory. The script makes a huge mistake in SPLITTING THE GANG UP, WHY??? For 3/4th's of the movie Scooby and Shaggy are not with the rest of Mystery Inc, and it became clear to me that the filmmakers were more interested in using this film as a spring board for a future cinematic universe. They try to include as many outside Hanna Barbara characters as possible without much rhyme or reason besides their significance to the story structure. We do get to see characters like the Blue Falcon, Dick Daststardly, Mutley, and even Captain Caveman, but this isn't what I really wanted to see, I wanted to see a SCOOBY DOO MOVIE. This movie needed more of that team dynamic and mystery solving and it just didn't have very much of it. This movie had so much potential as it looks REALLY GOOD, and I loved how it tries to be faithful to the aesthetics of the original cartoons with the designs and the sounds. It just needed more of what made the original show so great, and it really missed the mark for me. I'm not gonna say those live action movies were great by any means, but as those were written by James Gunn, you could tell he understood what Scooby Doo was all about, and I think those definitely do a better job than this did for me at least. Scoob! is a cute and safe movie, but it could've been so much more, if you're a huge fan of the character, absolutely watch it! I would just lower your expectations as this is aiming for much younger audiences and that's really all it wants to be. I will also say I'm totally on board with getting more Hanna Barbera movies in this style, just crack that story down and I'm sold! 6/10.
Hollywood (2020)
Ryan Murphy's Glee version of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood!
I didn't want to write a review for this show because I'm clearly not the audience for it, it's not what I look for in entertainment, so I move on, UNTIL, I read an article that compared this show to Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood", and how THIS was a better example of a Hollywood fairy tale, could you really blame me to not stay away? "Hollywood" is a mini series on Netflix that's produced by Ryan Murphy of Glee and Nip Tuck fame. That alone pretty much will tell what you will think about this show. If you really like Glee and that feel good tone, then you might really enjoy this! The point of this show is taking a time frame of Hollywood's history and some of its famous actors like Rock Hudson, Hattie Mcdaniel and Anna May Wong, giving essentially a rewrite of history where the industry moved itself forward sooner than we realized. Justice for racism, sexism, sexual assault, are all some common themes Ryan Murphy ties into this piece. So why didn't it work for me? If it sounds so thoughtful why could I dismiss it so easily? Because it doesn't add anything new or interesting to an already ongoing conversation. It seems like Murphy had the intention of making his story inspirational so we can imagine what it would be like if Hollywood did wake itself up, and give everyone their happy endings, but it feels more self congratulatory than an actual analysis. This show is so surface level in how it explores these themes it becomes laughably bad to sit through.I really liked the idea that maybe Rock Hudson got to open himself up and tell the world his real truth but this show is also tackling so many different tones and ideas it becomes inconsistent and self indulgent. Why not focus on Rock Hudson? Or Hattie McDaniels? Instead we have these fantasy characters who represent the basic stock function of progressive stereotypes. I give this series points for its creative production design/ costumes as most period pieces should look this good anyway, but the writing needed more genuine substance. The idea of someone comparing this to Tarantino is very baffling to me because there's not even a comparison of depth in what his film was doing. Tarantino created a masterful tale where the Manson gang became a joke, and Sharon Tate was remembered as a real human being and not just a victim, Murphy's Hollywood is the complete opposite. This is a 16 year old's perception of Hollywood. With no real focus or reason to why these progressive characters get what they want aside from being, well, progressive. The script is lacking, and instead of being a thought provoking story it comes off as a huge pat on the back, to which I say, NICE TRY HOLLYWOOD! 4/10
The Lighthouse (2019)
It's not for everyone but I LOVE THIS MOVIE
I understand this movie isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea. It's very bizarre and lacks any real mainstream hook that could get an audience really invested in its story. It boils down to just two guys, working in a lighthouse, they're both are stranded on an island, and they slowly descend into madness until they turn on each other. While it maybe lacking in the story department, the execution is flawless to me. Robert Eggers is a director that seems really invested in the worlds he creates in his head, and the words he writes on the page. Everything about this film has so much detail from the biggest monologue to the smallest prop on a set. I can't wrap my head around how atmospheric and well crafted the production design is. The way it's shot, the way it's photographed in black and white. I just fall in complete awe with this film every time I watch it. Is there a point? In the general scheme of things probably not. But the experience of learning about these characters, getting to know one another, and seeing them slowly turn on each other is just mesmerizing. It makes for an excellent acting study especially from the great Mr. Willem Defoe who was totally robbed an Oscar nomination for this film. The Lighthouse is a film from 2019 that I still think about on a daily basis that's how much of an impact it had on me. It's a movie that's made by someone who really understands the purpose of the art form, and how it can make us feel so many different emotions. There's horror, but there's also comedy. There's drama, but also romance possibly? I think it's a film that will make an impact on people for years in a way the Witch did. And I will definitely do my best to share it with people as much as I can!!
Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)
I FELT SO BETRAYED!!!
I don't like sounding like a whiny review but I hate this movie, I HATE Terminator Dark Fate. Like a lot of you I'm such a huge fan of the first two films, and the first movie was even my first R Rated movie I watched when I was 6 years old, so I indeed have some nostalgic ties to these films. I've seen 3, Salvation, and Genisys, and while those aren't great I still had some sort of enjoyment from those movies for what they are. Dark Fate I thought was going to be the true return to form, they got Linda Hamilton back, James Cameron was involved, it's rated R! I really thought this was going to be the true sequel to T2, and this is what the movie proudly marketed itself as. I WAS BETRAYED, BE-TRAYED. This movie completely destroys the Terminator mythology in just 5 minutes which is astounding. If you love Terminator 2 as much as I do, if you love the idea of John Connor and seeing him as leader of the human resistance in the future, you're gonna hate this film. They take the story in a certain direction that completely reboots the entire timeline post T2. And I'm sure you know what it is, John Connor gets killed by another T-800 and is basically replaced by a new character so the franchise can be PC moving forward. The movie never bounces back from this terrible story decision and I found it really hard to enjoy knowing that John would not be a main character going forward. I'm totally fine with changing the formula in these franchises if you need a reason to keep going, but they don't even have the audacity to tell a new story here. It repeats the plot of Terminator 1 while also carrying elements of T2. And who knows they could make the timeline a bigger mess by having John and Kyle Reese travel from a different timeline but do we really need to see anymore of this? Please avoid this movie at all costs, save your hard earned money or use it to buy a new copy of the first two films. Please don't support this, don't give them the hope of continuing this franchise, just terminate it now!!
It Chapter Two (2019)
IT is a mess :(
Boy is IT Chapter 2 messy. I'm not gonna lie, I wasn't thrilled with this movie. It's far too long. It's almost 3 hours, and it feels longer. The pacing is brutal in the first half, and by the time you get to the third act, you just feel too exhausted to feel completely invested. Where the first movie worked for me as it's own self contained movie, Chapter 2 is definitely a companion piece that expects you to watch it immediately after the last movie. Which makes sense as they made it clear that Chapter 1 was just taking the kids portion of the book, and then Chapter 2 would be about them grown up. I will say this movie delivered on good casting of the adult counterparts, because everyone genuinely does a good job. Bill Hader is easily the best part of the film, he had some of the funniest gags I've seen this year. However that leads me to my next issue, it's way too comedic. For being a horror film, its not scary. The humor overtakes any tension it wants me to feel when it's dropped right in the middle of a scare. The first one did this too, but I didn't feel it was as obnoxious as this. Especially when most of your scares are pop outs and loud noises. There were scenes I just tuned out because the tone was so all over the place that, I just didn't know what to feel. A guy in our theatre fell asleep and was snoring so loud, we all just laughed because... yeah, it was kinda boring at times! All my problems pretty much trace back to the book and why it's damn near impossible to adapt and make great. It's a mess of a book. While Bill Skarsgard is chilling to watch as Pennywise, and the coming of age story works well in places, it just all doesn't flow well together here as it did last time. I will commend both movies for trying to mainstream the material, and for REALLY trying. Both films have engaging performances, and some really nice cinematography, but I just don't feel as eager to watch Ch 2 as much on repeat viewings. The ending was the equivalent of Lord of the Rings where it takes that much time and investment out of you, to the point where the ending overstays it's welcome. It Ch 2 isn't the worst movie I've seen this year, but it was disappointing. 5/10
The Lion King (2019)
This is the definition of CASH GRAB
I'm beyond appalled this film just made a billion dollars. It lacks any heart and soul the original had and yet everyone's got their Mickey Mouse mind control ears on. You can't really be mad at Disney for making it to cash the check I'm just disappointed that people are continuing to see it. Tarantino is right, there's no desire for originality anymore no matter how many people complain.
The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
Just a really sweet movie!
I decided to see this because there was nothing else playing at my theater that I was interested in or hadn't already seen, I just saw little snippets of footage on a monitor in the lobby and went "Sure why not". I was pleasantly surprised it's genuinely a nice movie! I'm beyond proud of Zack Gottsagen for taking on a role with such passion and dedication. I can tell he was all about it, and I'm also glad to see Shia Labeouf in a big role again because he was quite good too. The movie just had a nice touch of heart and warmth that I couldn't but help feel attracted to. It's not groundbreaking or new necessarily but it's super confident in what it's set out to do and I can feel the passion put into this project. My entire theatre loved it, and so did I!
Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019)
Boots doesn't even talk in this picture??
The director claims monkeys don't talk in the real world, so therefore Boots can't either. Come on you had one job!! If you're gonna do a Dora movie, why do it like this?? Swiper is pretty identical to the cartoon so what's the excuse? The film makes a point about Boots not being able to speak outside Dora's imagination and I find that just heartbreaking.
Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019)
The mid credits scene is the best part I'm not sure if that's a good thing...
Spider-Man Far From Home is a very middling Marvel movie. It's not bad, FAR FROM it..... But I wanted so much more. Tom Holland is giving his best performance as Peter yet(obviously besides his traumatic exit in Infinity War). He's able to hold his own in a movie that requires so much from his character, especially in a post Endgame world. Zendaya is doing great as MJ, and I was really digging the scenes with her and Peter together. The European vacation backdrop makes for a fresh Spidey story, and we get pretty fun set pieces as a result. I was also satisfied with the way they brought Mysterio to life, it was a clever and realistic take on the character, and I thought that part was visually fun. When it came to his character backstory though, that's where the issues began. Jake Gyllenhaal did fine with what he was given, but the way the character was introduced in terms of MCU building felt so tired and more of the same. Especially after coming off the Vulture in Homecoming. Story choices like this just made the movie way too predictable, and I had this feeling of "Let's get on with it" constantly nagging me. The comedy fell a little flat too, because it just spoke more like a Teen genre movie and not an MCU movie. The teen aspect is fine, because Jon Watts knows how to direct a good flick about coming of age in the 2010's, and that's why this Spider-Man has been so successful, because it stays relevant with today's generation. But I think my biggest issue with this take is the teen comedy genre is where the focus is, and not enough on Spider-Man. Holland's version of Peter Parker isn't being challenged enough and I don't feel enough emotional stakes in his story that even the Andrew Garfield movies do a better job portraying. It's hard not to talk about this more in detail without spoilers but let's be clear, if you enjoyed Homecoming and love all the Marvel movies then you'll like this one too. I will totally see it again just to see if I missed something, but as of right now, it's ok. Even though I liked Homecoming better I still really look forward to where they take things thanks to a very spicy mid credits scene, but it was at the cost of a mixed movie. 7/10.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
Still makes the same mistakes as Godzilla 2014
While it was a neat experience getting to see the new Godzilla in a Toho cinema here in Japan, I can't help but feel King of Monsters let me down. Don't get me wrong, the spectacle here is AMAZING. The CGI on the characters is undeniably stunning, everyone looks fantastic. They clearly listened to the complaints of Godzilla 2014 with not showing the big guy enough, and yet somehow they still mess it all up. It's just not a good film because it doesn't know what it wants to be. Does it want to be a compelling piece about global warming ? Or does it want to be a campy fun apocalypse movie with Godzilla? It wants to be both and it just can't pull it off. The entire movie is following human characters you could care less about. Millie Bobby Brown was clearly only casted for her star power, and I never once felt that she can only play that part. As with the rest of the cast, nobody is actually playing anyone outside an archetype and the movie doesn't give me any reason to empathize with them outside the fact that they're all humans like me. I even hated the mother character and had no sympathy for her, her plan made absolutely no sense especially coming off the likes of someone like Thanos in the Marvel films. You could make the argument that you're not there to see the humans anyway but the film constantly cuts away from the fights so we can see the humans running around looking for Millie Bobby Brown , so even then it still fails to give us consistent Godzilla action. None of the scale or sense of stakes feel present from Godzilla 2014 so it all just feels boring to watch. It honestly makes me believe Hollywood still doesn't understand Godzilla or at least can't make a decent script to save their life, Oh why did they write Bradley Whitford such god awful lines?? they had 5 YEARS to make this movie. What happened? I made the same complaints about Kong Skull Island and this movie literally does the exact same things. Kong vs Godzilla is coming up and at this point don't know if it'll be worth it all. If you love Godzilla and just want some decent Kaiju action you'll get it, but you have to sit through some dull human drama to get there. 6/10.
Game of Thrones: The Iron Throne (2019)
My expectations were so low but it's still somehow worse
There was no other way around this episode, they already lost me at the Long Night and ever since then it's just been a slow descent into hell. But holy hell did they run this show into the ground right until the very last shot. I couldn't believe I was laughing at the idiotic choices they made with certain scenes I literally had no other feeling than laughter. I guess the one good thing this season did for me was it made me really interested in reading the books now so I can wash my hands of this god forsaken series.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
I cried every 10 minutes not joking
This will go down as one of the greatest comic book films in history. It's a true blockbuster achievement. The reason I love the MCU is not because of action, it's not because of the visuals, it's because of the characters. I love these characters and truly relate to some of them on a deep personal level. I saw Iron Man when I was 11 years old and Downey Jr's portrayal of Tony Stark has literally been a part of my childhood since that movie. And Marvel has done a really wonderful job building these characters and crafting their stories because this movie was a phenomenal ending. Sure it hasn't always been perfect but I really don't see how you could have ended it any better with the way they crafted their story. It all felt right and made sense. The 3 hours never stalled for me because I was just really invested in what everyone was feeling and thinking. Call me a baby but I teared up every 10 minutes because of a piece of dialogue or emotion a character delivered because it was so in line with what they've been through. By the end, I was bawling even when the credits were still rolling. On a more critical side of things this movie won't be something you can pick up any day and watch on video. Infinity War definitely benefits more from the action and pacing side of things and it's a lot easier to watch because of how fast everything moves. But this is required so much emotional investment that when you throw it on then you know you gotta clear your schedule. There's so much movie in this movie it's hard to really just sit down and not get up during it. There's no room for bathroom breaks unless you really don't care that much lol. So will everyone love this? No. But if you put alot of time and investment into these characters and these movies, and you care about their struggles and the things they've been through, you'll find some emotional pay off in this movie I promise. Cap is my favorite Avenger and I was completely satisfied with his arc in these movies. Much like Infinity War this movie is an experience and one you'll remember hopefully. I'm seeing this again as soon as possible and I would just like to thank Marvel for being a home for my childhood at the movies. I love Star Wars but I never got to experience the original trilogy in theaters. That movie magic and impact was displayed for me in the MCU. This was my Star Wars. Thank you Marvel thank you. 10/10.
Shazam! (2019)
The future is looking bright for DC
I'm sure most people can agree that Shazam is a very funny movie. A bit more so than what's come before. Aquaman was goofy as well, but I found myself laughing at the movie rather than with it. That's not the case here. Shazam knows when to have fun, but when to take itself seriously. Zachary Levi was born to play this role and he had my attention the entire time he was on screen. The kids are what's most impressive about this film, they all feel genuine and real. I'm so happy the brand is finally stepping away from the dark and cold vision Zack Snyder has, and just letting these characters embrace what they really are. The only reason this got an 8 out of 10 for me was because it didn't really blow me away visually or action wise but that's ok. As long as the core of the movie is there and you care about what's happening, I care more about that than the spectacle. And yes I'm just gonna say it, it was a thousand times better than Captain Marvel sorry! 8/10.