jdogkg Reviews

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Yet another home run by marvel!

[8/10 · 12 November 2017]

Thor 1 and 2 are usually thought of as the weakest in the MCU. Those movies are still good, but I do have to agree with that statement. So I am very happy to tell you, this movie is such a step up from 1 and 2! It's a rare example of the 3rd installment being the best in the trilogy (marvel also did that with civil war). Thor ragnarok has such a unique plot and expands the universe with endless creativity which was my favorite part of the whole movie! As always Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston were fantastic as Thor and Loki. They had awesome chemistry together. The villain, I am happy to announce had motivation and development to her. They have a reason for her to be evil. I have a few issues of the movie like the villain doesn't get much screen time in the first two acts. Also, they didn't developed a threat or conflict to well in the first two acts. But the final battle is amazing with some emotional weight put into it as well. All in all Thor Ragnarok is such a fun ride! Do yourself a favor and check it out!

Daddy's Home 2 (2017)

Don't listen to the critics!

[9/10 · 10 November 2017]

I loved the first daddy's home. I thought it was a very funny and underrated comedy. Both Farrell and Wahlberg we're great in my opinion. So I guess you can say I was pumped to see this film. When the reviews came out for this movie, however, I was very heartbroken. Regardless, I still wanted to check it out. And this is yet another example of why I shouldn't listen to critics. This movie was so hilarious! At least every 10 minutes it made me laugh out loud! Even had me gut busting laughing out of my seat a couple times. Almost all jokes hit or at least had me grinning. Of course, Farrell and Wahlberg are both fantastic as Brad and Dusty. They play their characters so well and couldn't imagine being played by anybody else. Let's talk about John Lithlow and Mel Gibson. They were awesome as the grandparents! All 4 of those actors had great chemistry and that is my number one pro of this movie! There are a couple of cons in this movie. Some of the jokes fall and can be cringe worthy. And sometimes the editing and pacing can be off. But other than that, I suggest you check it out. I guarantee you will have such a fun time! Laughter is the best medicine! 😂

It (I) (2017)

Fantastic horror film!

[9/10 · 17 September 2017]

I was very excited to see this one. I been waiting for more than a year after it was announced. So I am happy to tell you this exceeds all expectations! Let me begin with

Bill Skarsgård. He was amazing as pennywise! I mean very very menacing, creepy, and played his character so great! I adored the kids in this movie! They had great chemistry, and you can really buy that they are best friends! Something I loved that this film did was it didn't have any exposition. It was all visual story telling. You can tell what scared the kids, without them just saying "(this) scares me" they develop their characters until you eventually find out on your own. There are many scenes or moments that finally tie into the story at the end. I loved the effort put into this movie! And of course, the horror in It is so scary! Not the typical jump scare, false scare, loud noise, predictable scare fest we are used to with a majority of horror films now a days. The scares were very unique! Some people might complain the scares were too over the top, but it's supposed to be imagination. The emotion towards the end works so well. It made me feel sad. And last, the humor worked so good! It was very funny and all jokes landed! I would say my issues with the film is I wanted more screen time with pennywise. He wasn't in a lot of it until the third act. And my last issue, I wish there wasn't as many jokes and whatnot during scenes that are supposed to be frightening. But other than that definitely go out and see this one, good date night, or hanging out with friends! You will be chilled to the bone!

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

This film was absolutely incredible!!!!

[10/10 · 8 July 2017]

I am a huge fan of Spiderman, I love the original trilogy (yes even the third one) I really liked Tobey Maguire and felt he did a great job. I think the Andrew Garfield films, while enjoyable, really lacked the tone of a Spiderman film. So I can tell you, this was easily my most anticipated movie of 2017, but I do have to remember that I can't keep my expectations as high as a drug addict. So as the film started, while pumped, I also was just praying it would be awesome. So... I AM VERY HAPPY TO TELL YOU THIS MOVIE IS FANTASTIC!!!!!!! The entire time watching it I had a smile on my face! ☺ First off the acting is great, Tom Holland was born to play this role. All his friends, the villains, and of course Robert Downey Jr did awesome like always. Next the action, the web swinging sequences, the high flying fighting and intensity was all handled so well, Marvel always achieves greatness with that. You can really feel the brutality and fear of the characters while watching. Let's talk about Micheal Keaton as the vulture wow! What an incredible villain! He was very intimidating with the suit on but also, a terrific character underneath the suit. While I am a fan of the MCU I do agree, a majority of their villains suck. But Keaton really was different. He had so much depth and motivation which I adored. And there is one big shocker towards the end which even put more emotional weight towards his character. This movie is not just another marvel movie. Spiderman Homecoming is very unique and special in its own way. Of course the CGI was great like always. The story was written in a way we can all adore. There are so many twists and turns and unexpected paths it chooses to take which was the right direction. And last, the humor was hilarious! Laughter is the best medicine. Peter's friend Ned was a addition that fit like Cinderella's slipper. Spiderman Homecoming is definitely the best Spiderman movie to date and I say you definitely should go out and see this one!

Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)

I have never got the hate for these films

[8/10 · 25 June 2017]

The transformers movies are known for being hated. Me I personally think these movies are just fun. That's why we watch them, not for an outstanding Oscar worthy film. I know I am in the minority that I love Age of extinction. So I was pretty excited to see this film. The Last Knight is probably the best since the first! It fixes most of the problems people complain about. The racial stereotypes are lowered by a lot. There is no juvenile humor like the last 4 movies have. There are a lot of less explosions which is definitely a plus. And lastly, don't listen to these critics saying it's the "same movie every time". I really loved the different direction they took the last Knight in. Mark Wahlberg I love, he gives a great performance and has a great character. All the characters were really likable. And the plot, while convoluted, is still very interesting and well written. Like all transformers movies, the CGI and action is fantastic and pure fun. If you like these movies, your going to have a lot fun watching it.

It Comes at Night (2017)

If you are expecting the usual horror film, don't see it.

[8/10 · 11 June 2017]

I walked into this theater not expecting what we usually see in horror films now a days. Don't get me wrong, I do like modern horror films, but only if they are done right like say The Conjuring 2. I knew going in I was in for something different and my expectations were correct. This is definitely not the typical jump scare, absolutely horrifying film. Its a great and unique physiological movie about a post apocalyptic world that has crumbled civilization​ but I loved how they never show the outside world but rather we learn little knowledge from the characters. There are two families living together which are very fleshed out and have many good scenes together which I loved they did. But this movie is not all glitter and kittens. We as an audience, go on a very well made journey to witness how anything strong can crumble as time progresses. I am definitely going to be in the minority as I loved this film. My other family members hated it, but like I said they thought it was going to be completely different than what it really is supposed to be. It comes at night really leaves you using your mind to fit the pieces together so if you like this genre, I think you should check it out.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017)

Definitely the best since the first!

[9/10 · 28 May 2017]

The first pirates of the Caribbean is one of my all time favorite movies, unlike lots of people I really like Dead man's chest and At World's end as well. But like most people, I found on stranger tides a massive disappointment. So I was anticipating this movie for so long and when the reviews came out, I was very heartbroken. Regardless, I still went to the theater and was praying it would be good, and I am so happy to tell you the critics are dead wrong! This is a terrific film! As always, Johnny Depp as captain jack sparrow was great, and also loved the characters of Henry Turner and Carina Smyth. They both did great jobs and unlike on stranger tides, this one has characters besides captain jack, that I was interested in. Javier Bardem as Captain Salazar was so menacing and such a cool villain. He actually has a lot of depth and motivation to his character unlike Blackbeard. Critics are saying this film is "boring" but I did not find a scene that dragged on and I was very invested in the well written story of this film. My only issue with the film is I wish they would've given captain jack sparrow more to do with the plot. But other than that I think you should definitely see it and do not listen to the critics!

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Definitely see it!

[9/10 · 7 May 2017]

Marvel has once again impressed me. This was such an amazing movie. The best was definitely the humor. Laughter is the best medicine, everyone in the theater was laughing out loud the whole time! The characters had great chemistry together and I adored them. I also loved how they also included emotional weight to the film. Star Lord, Gamora, and even Drax had some drama included to their characters which is a great thing. The story is interesting and the action scenes look fantastic! I suggest you definitely see this one!

Split (IX) (2016)

M. Night Shyamalan is back!

[8/10 · 11 February 2017]

So hearing good reviews about this movie and the fact that Shyamalan's last movie The Visit was decent, I was generally excited to see if the hype was real. And I was not let down! This is a really good and original film. We have hardly seen anything so unique like this in horror movies these days. Shyamalan's direction and screenplay are both excellent. You can really tell he put a lot of effort in making a good film to please us. James McAvoy was such a great casting choice! He did an outstanding job as Kevin with 23 different personalities. Anya Taylor Joy also did great. Her character was well written. The screenplay had a great story that kept us on the edge of our seats! My only issue is that the climax while I admit it was scary, I found it unrealistic compared to the realism of the entire rest of the film. Before I go I just want to also say the direction of photography was very unique and was done in a way I adored! Definitely go see this one, it's worth your time and money!

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

Very good even for a non star wars fan

[9/10 · 26 December 2016]

So I have never been a star wars fan, never seen any seven of the movies. But my uncle who is a huge star wars fan wanted me to come with him, because I love movies and all the great reputation with this one and the force awakens from last year, I was pretty excited to see it. And sure enough, my expectations were not let down this is a great star wars movie, definitely looks better than the three prequels (based on what I heard about them) the story was very great and very well handled I was still able to understand it despite me going in blind to the theater which I think is a great pro about this film. The whole plot is just written very nicely. And let's not forget about the action scenes,in a word stunning. The CGI is probably the best Hollywood has to offer today and for a majority of them, my knuckles were white with tensity, it was fantastic. This movie's sets, along with the shooting and lighting was gorgeous and I absolutely adored it. All in all definitely see it, rogue one is worth your time and money. You deserve it bring your spouse, date, friends, family, or kids and you will be in for a pleasant treat!

Shut In (I) (2016)

Just.... not good...

[2/10 · 11 November 2016]

OK so when I saw the trailer for this movie I thought that looks pretty scary. So me and my girlfriend decided to go out and see it tonight and oh boy it was bad. First let me start off by saying this is kind of a rip off of the horror movie that came out earlier this year "the boy" which I thought was OK. And this movie's story line is very similar. Next let me warn you the first 2 acts drag on forever hardly anything happens other than a few cheap jump scares and literally 3 "oh it was just a dream" cliché that I'm very tired of seeing in horror movies. The 3rd act then reveals such a terrible plot twist that absolutely makes zero sense. By then I gave up and wanted it to be over. I thought they could have done so much better with it, I liked the theme and the creepy setting but the thing is they totally waste it with a very awful script! Please save your money and time and if you want to see a good horror movie see the conjuring 2 or lights out again.

Finding Dory (2016)

Wow!

[9/10 · 7 July 2016]

When I first heard they were making a sequel to finding Nemo I really was not that impressed. Sequels is not really a Pixar thing, but eight years ago when I was in kindergarten, I adored finding Nemo. I am 14 now and wanted see it! And wow! I was blown away! This is a great Pixar movie! It blew away all expectations! I really loved the idea of it being in a aquarium instead of the open ocean like in the first one! That worked great! Pixar nailed the opening scene with baby dory! This movie has some flashbacks with Dory and when she was a child and I loved how they tied everything related to dory to her in the first one! It was very clever. It introduces new characters which are great and hilarious! Catlin Olsen, Ed O'Neill, and Ty Burell worked terrifically. It is a fun and well written story which can entertain adults and kids. It also has good morals and some serious parts to it as well. Kids can learn good lessons watching this movie. The characters are very likable too, Ellen DeGeneres as dory and Albert Brooks as Marlin gave great performances. You will also love how funny it is, not just the adult humor (which by the way was hilarious) but all the jokes can work for everyone! At the end of the day this movie was so awesome and so fun! Take your date or the whole family and you will love it!

The BFG (2016)

A "gigantic" letdown

[5/10 · 6 July 2016]

So five years ago I was in fourth grade my class read this book and I loved it, so when I heard that Steven Spielberg would be directing a movie, I got pretty excited. Finally I am walking out of the theater with my head hung low, this disappointed me on so many ways. Let me begin by saying that the main character Sophie, has absolutely no character development.The opening scene is when the BFG abducts her. It takes about 4 minutes for that to happen and doesn't take the time to introduce much about Sophie. I was trying to not let that bother me too much. But it is never explained why the BFG truly took her to giant country. It made no sense. My biggest issue with this movie is that it really has no plot. There is no conflict or problem needed to be solved. The final 30 minutes finally have something happening, but it is so poorly done and randomly included. I should give it credit for the character of the BFG being exactly like the book which was cool. And most of the things done in the movie were closely like the book. And the scene with the queen was fun and enjoyable. But other than that this movie is incredibly slow and dull. All my family fell asleep I was the only one who stayed awake to watch the entire thing. There are some really childish moments that someone under 5 would laugh at. I'm sorry, I truly apologize but this movie is not that good. If you loved the book it would disappoint you, like it did to me. If you really want to see this movie just wait for the DVD to come out.

The Conjuring 2 (2016)

Definitely scarier than the first!

[9/10 · 14 June 2016]

I was really counting on this movie to raise my scare level to the top, and if you haven't seen this movie, you have no idea what I am talking about! Oh my gosh, this film was freaking terrifying! For three years I was plagued with nightmares of the first movie, and i didn't think any movie could be more scary. Conjuring 2 definitely proved me wrong! Not only were there jump scares but REAL horror, not just being startled by a loud noise but James Wan shows us what real horror is. There were many rising suspense scenes and you have no idea what will happen. That is what scary is! Demons are what true scariness are. What lurks in the darkness is something to be terrified about. And this movie shows us this perfectly. Like I said it does have jump scares, and I appreciated that, why? BECAUSE NONE IF THEM ARE FALSE, they were not a cat jumping out or a character popping out, every single one was real and lived up to the rising suspense that was built up. Not only is it scary but it is an awesome story. As a matter of fact a TRUR STORY. It was very well told and unlike most horror movies today it actually had a PLOT. The twist in the end is brilliant, unpredictable and pieced together the plot elements well. Also greatly shot, greatly acted and great character development. Unlike most horror movies this has Likable CHARACTERS. Unlike most horror movies it's not a gore fest or has countless swear words, it's rated R JUST because of how SCARY it is. I love James Wan he is terrific at what he does. Every horror director now days NEEDS to see the insidious trilogy and of course the 2 conjuring movies. This has restored my faith in horror movies! I definitely recommend it. See it with your spouse, friends, girlfriend or boyfriend (definitely do not bring your kids) and you will have the thrill of a lifetime! By the way you might want to look under your bed tonight! 😉

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Got to be Marvel's best yet!

[10/10 · 17 May 2016]

I was very excited for this movie, and was eager to see it and when I finally did, oh my gosh I was absolutely blown away! This was one of the best movies I had ever seen in my 14 years of living! Every MCU film is great, but this is by far it's most perfect! There is not one thing I disliked about it. Acting was awesome, CGI the best Hollywood has, it's shooting and lighting were outstanding. Everything worked for it! 110 percent effort was obviously put into this movie. Whatever Marvel's doing there nailing it every single time! Action scenes were very tense, very entertaining, and an on the edge of your seat ride. I cannot see anyone hating this movie at all. Every single scene had a surprise or was just pure amazing! Tom Holland as Spiderman is the best since Tobey Maguire! Homecoming is bound to be great. As usual, Robert Downey Jr was terrific as Tony stark same with Chris Evans as captain America I adored every second of civil war. It's a must see for sure. I recommend you see it as soon as you can. Bring the kids, your date, friends or spouse. And I promise you will not regret doing so. Best film or 2016!

The Jungle Book (2016)

Absolutely wonderful!

[10/10 · 15 April 2016]

I went to this theater with high expectations, and I sure wasn't disappointed! It was definitely one of the best movies I had seen in years. Me and my uncle loved this film and I'm sure anyone would. That is one great thing about the jungle book it was great for adults and children. It was a very packed theater of parents bringing there kids and I could see everybody was having an awesome time. The graphics are easily the top you will see in the next decade. All animals were CGI but they were all so realistic. Jungle book is so amazingly shot and lit. It was such a well written action packed story with twists and edge if the seat scenes. One word to describe this movie is clever! You get so sucked into this world it was an spectacular experience. The acting was just as brilliant. Especially the Oscar worthy performance from Neel Sethi as Mogli! Anybody will fall in love with it like I did. I am 14 years old so I haven't seen a children's movie in a long time so it was so different and so nice to watch something different and better than what we see these days. The audience even started applauding after it ended! Perfect for date night or family night. Your kids and you are guaranteed to adore it!

The Boy (2016)

Scary and entertaining!

[7/10 · 26 February 2016]

While unoriginal and using many cliques, this was fun to watch and gets you on the edge of your seat. It does have many jump scares that will terrify you and while jump scares are a cheap way to scare audience none of them were false and actually had a purpose. Besides the jump scares it also scares you by the rising suspense and I usually don't do this in horror films but me and my friend found each other covering ourselves because of the many suspenseful, amazing, and creepy scenes! The story and script are also great, so is the acting and shooting. Both great, Lauren Cohan was brilliant! There are a few issues like it's lack of originality, or a few parts that might not make sense but still worth paying for. Great to see with friends or date night! Enjoy it!

The VVitch: A New-England Folktale (2015)

Not scary nor entertaining

[3/10 · 21 February 2016]

OK I went into the theater with high hopes of a terrifying tense film that will disturb the crap out of you. Good reviews also were a key thing to this expectation. I walked out of the theater well... disappointed. It will not scare you or even entertain you. There are many horror movies that don't scare you but can still be a good time to watch. This isn't any of those. I have to get it credit, for its incredible dialogue, and how it's shot. Based on the time this takes place, they did a great job on making it appear as though it is in that time. The dialogue is the same as well. But the plot is confusing, you will eventually get lost. It's not really a horror movie until the final 15 minutes. The rest is just a boring story of a family surviving for the winter. This film is so dead with zero tensity. It is hard to keep up and even get what, who, or why anything is. The ending is especially bad, you wait 90 minutes for something exciting to happen but nothing does. Just skip it. It will disappoint you. Waste of time and money.

Creed (II) (2015)

One of the best films of 2015!

[9/10 · 27 November 2015]

I'm a big Rocky fan, so I had high hopes for this movie. I really enjoyed all 6 of them, I was excited when I heard of this. Creed is a lot like the first movie. It had many lines, scenes, and plot elements like the first one. But also it was a lot different than the original franchise. It focuses on not only fighting but problems of life. Had really touching moments and action moments. This will likely win an Oscar. I really like how they made this film. Just great production! Sylvester Stallone and Michael B Jordan were awesome in this movie! Really unpredictable and well written out. One of the best stories for a film ever. I suggest a 10+ rating as it is more parental then the other six films. Good for an older family and date night! Definitely a must see!

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)

Pretty good

[8/10 · 10 November 2015]

This movie was not bad at all. It had great acting and a storyline. But its a lot different than the first one, they probably shouldn't have called it Maze Runner scorch trials as it didn't have to do anything with the maze nor any other type of task/trial etc. It was more of a war movie with the kids battling and hiding against wicked. According to the trailer and end of the first one it appears to be in the ruins of a forgotten city but most of it was not there. But I still enjoyed it a lot. This film had many awesome scenes. I was surprised to see bad reviews. Really action packed with great twists, surprises and all in all a well written story and I would recommend you to watch it!

Goosebumps (2015)

Pretty good movie

[7/10 · 31 October 2015]

Goosebumps is a really unique film. It is based off of RL Stine's popular book series in which I really enjoy reading. It was extremely funny and had a great story. The writing and acting were great as well. I really loved Jack black he was amazing. I really loved the whole thing as it was well put together. Well shot and filmed also. My only concern is the movie had most of the less know, less popular book villains. I didn't see the haunted mask, Jack o lanterns, scarecrow, monster blood, etc. CGI could have been better. But all in all I really enjoyed watching it and I recommend for you to see it. Take your friends, kids, GF, BF, husband, or wife. You will enjoy it and laugh plenty of times!

Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015)

Hotel Transylvania 2 review

[6/10 · 4 October 2015]

It's a few years after the events in the first film, Johnny and Mavis get married and have a kid named Dennis. I would say pretty funny, a good a story, and good for kids but the ending is why I gave it a 6. It's just wasn't satisfying. A few plot holes and some corny scenes (mostly the end). It wasn't really like the trailer presented it to be. A lot different and some disappointments. Hotel Transylvania is not good or bad or OK. Not as good as the first one. You should probably see the first one if you haven't. You will laugh a lot and enjoy it too. But all in all a funny and nice storyline. It was a good film and I wouldn't call it a must see, but if you can drop by take your kids, friends, or family and see it in your cinema!