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TheDreadedChampion2019
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Greyhound (2020)
DESERVES TO BE STRAIGHT TO STREAMING...BUT THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY A BAD THING
I sort of appreciated the 85-90 minute runtime. Too many movies these days are over-bloated and stuffed with filler to stretch the runtime. But in This type of movie, where most of the action takes place in real time, and in such A claustrophobic location, the most tension and suspense is taken advantage of, all from the brevity of its length...in Greyhound, Tom Hanks plays a naval captain leading a convoy of supply ships across the Atlantic, to restock and replenish the Allied forces. His men are forced to chart dangerous enemy waters, and for a couple of days, without any air cover...And this is where the bulk of the movie focuses...It's a tense, somewhat repetitive, but overall effective B movie that shows the details of how a Naval crew operates and the kind of stress these men were under. Tom Hanks is fitting for the lead. He channels old Hollywood leading men like Jimmy Stewart more than ever in this part...Now It is very obvious the movie was shot with set pieces against green screen. So all of the ocean shots and big battle sequences are done with CGI. This, and the film's length, and lack of more characterization, make it feel like almost straight to video fare. But it gets the job done. If you're a war buff or a fan of Hanks, or bored on a Saturday afternoon, check it out.
Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn (2020)
Harley Quinn
I enjoyed it. Sort of like John Wick meets Deadpool. And it didn't have that boring flat same-y kinda look and feel you get from many Marvel films. It has a personality, a vision, and it's directed with style. Margot Robbie just killed it as Harley Quinn. She was born to play this role... Some might be put off by the whole girl power, feminist, progressive vibe, but I still liked it, and I'm not even a feminist or anything.
Bombshell (2019)
BOMBSHELL
This movie was better than I thought it would be. I was never bored, fully engaged from beginning to end. Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie, and Charlize Theron all gave excellent performances. It did seem to have a little bit of a left leaning bias which I fully expected but still I would have preferred a more generous and balanced take. But its worth the watch
Uncut Gems (2019)
UNCUT GEMS
Really good. I enjoyed it. Cool visual style, music, and engaging storyline.
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
The Fall of Star Wars is Complete
If you just go to the movies for surface level entertainment, you may very well enjoy this. If you go for escapism, big set pieces, lots of action, sensory overload, and only demand a minimum level of emotion and storytelling, you may actually like The Rise of Skywalker. But as the conclusion to a 9 episode saga, as well of a trilogy, and as a good story in its own right, this is a very rushed, messy, and wholly unsatisfying finale...There are some unintentionally hilarious moments throughout and the fan service and sentimentality and emotional manipulation is laid on very thick. In Fact Rise of Skywalker relies on nostalgia for most of its emotional scenes....the biggest problem is the storytelling decisions, lapses in logic and established concepts being pushed aside lazily in service To a very bad script...its not entirely awful. The actors, particularly Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver do a fine job and their scenes together are pretty good. And Jar Jar Abrams knows how to direct action and keep the energy going...overall its a piece of crap though. In many ways the worst Star Wars movie
Midway (2019)
I walked out Mid way, for real
This was honestly awful. Hard for me to believe this was a supposed passion project for Roland Emmerich because it does not show. The special effects in Pearl Harbor, made almost 20 years ago, still hold up but the effects in this, one of the most expensive independent films ever made, are utter dog crap. The film never hooks you, I was completely disengaged and bored. It looked like a straight to video cheap knock off. Bad on just about every level... I couldn't even finish it. I've only ever walked out of a film once or twice before.
Ford v Ferrari (2019)
The Ascension of Mangold Continues
Really good film. Just a really well acted, well written, efficiently executed film with an engaging story and characters you are invested in to match. I was starting to think Hollywood had forgotten how to put out good content. But this is really worth your time. If you're interested in history, cars, racing, and just good storytelling in general you should see this. Christian Bale and Matt Damon are wonderful together, with Bale particularly just knocking it out of the park. Mangold continues his flex on everyone in his rise to auteur level filmmaking, beginning with "Logan" and continuing with this movie...Thoroughly enjoyed it.
The Irishman (2019)
Good Movie
Finally after almost 25 years Marty and De Niro have come together again. This is a dream cast I never thought I'd see together - Keitel, Pacino, Pesci, De Niro, the guy from Everybody Loves Raymond. I mean Jesus Christ...Its a long one but its worth your patience. A reflective film about old dudes from old dudes.
Gisaengchung (2019)
PARASITE
This was a throughly engrossing film. Certainly something all movie lovers should seek out and see. Funny, Nuanced, Suspenseful, and poignant. It really has something to say and the performances are all just great. This is why we go to the movies
Lethal Weapon (1987)
They Don't Make em like this anymore
The Original Lethal Weapon is just the perfect movie. You have an old pro behind the camera, Dick Donner (in his first off 6 collaborations with Mel Gibson). You have one of the more larger than life personalities in Hollywood and action movie connoisseur Joel Silver producing, and the brilliant and raw screenwriting debut by a young Shane Black. Mel Gibson was born to play the character of Martin Riggs. It's some of his best acting, so natural and real. Danny Glover as the more conservative Murtaugh is a great counter balance to the nervous energy of Riggs....This movie balances comedy, action, and drama so well. The action is exciting and well staged. The drama is real and deep. The comedy is so natural and flows so easily from the electric chemistry between Gibson and Glover. The script by Black is top notch stuff. It's a film that works on so many levels and that really takes you on a wild ride. I've come back to it so many times. The second one comes close and in some areas even supersedes this one. But as a whole you still can't beat the sheer magnetic power of the original.
Last Christmas (2019)
Last Christmas
I Saw this yesterday on a whim because I had the day off and a Christmas movie with Emilia Clarke dressed as an elf on a Friday afternoon just seemed kind of nice. This is the first Paul Feig film I have seen. I had been interested in "A Simple Favor" but never got around to watching it, but this was to my surprise not too bad. It's a perfectly decent little Christmas movie, anchored by a wonderfully charismatic performance from Emilia Clarke. The biggest flaw is the plot twist, which you will see coming a mile away. It's just painfully obvious. Also it's really not a romantic comedy per say, it's a comedy-drama, but fairly light on sex or romance, so adjust your expectations accordingly. If you're bored and want to get into the Christmas spirit, go see it. It kept my interest and didn't overstay its welcome
Doctor Sleep (2019)
A Worthy Continuation
Just got out of an early screening of "Doctor Sleep". I'll keep it short. This was a really solid movie, that finds an interesting way to continue the story and mythology of "The Shining" while still having its own identity. Rebecca Ferguson is absolutely wonderful as the villainess. This is her best performance since Mission: Impossible. Ewan McGregor isn't as off the wall, charismatic, or memorable as Jack Nicholson, but then again, this is a different character. He does a fine job. The girl was really good...its a slow burn but it pays off in the end. Poop
Rambo: Last Blood (2019)
LAST BLOOD...Until he gets a blood transfusion and comes back in another 11 years...
OK so this movie it TAKEN. like literally. Its TAKEN set on the border. Maybe with a dash of HOME ALONE or the third act of SKYFALL. Either way this is Rambo: Last Blood. Stallone is back as Himself...or Rocky..... or John Rambo. It doesn't really matter anymore, they all seem like the same person at this point. This one feels the least like a Rambo movie, in that it doesn't take place in the heart of a war, or somewhere overseas. Even the first was like a mini war out in boonies of Washington. The conflict in this one is more close to home, more personal. In Last Blood, we find Johnny leading a life of peace in Arizona. But he is soon lured back into action when a girl close to him is kidnapped by the Cartel. Rambo goes commando to go and get her back. Then he kicks ass and blows up...Its A solid enough movie. I didn't find that it quite reached the levels of wonderful over-the-top brutality of the last one, which was all I was hoping for in this movie. But the action is still pretty good. I think the overall film holds up a little better than the last one , the narrative, the filmmaking. I don't know. There really hasn't been a good Rambo movie since 3 in my opinion. At least the last one seemed more like a Rambo film and not a Sylvester Stallone Taken Style action movie with Rambo shoehorned into it...if you like Stallone and the Rambo films, see it. Otherwise its nothing special.
The Fanatic (2019)
Fanatic
Fred Durst and John Travolta. Never thought I'd hear those names together, certainly not as co-producers of a film! But I enjoyed the movie. It's a quick 90 minute thriller, although it sometimes borders on comedy because of its absurdity and ridiculousness. I thoroughly loved John Travolta's ridiculous performance as this super fan, autistic dude. The ending is delicious fun...Worth renting if you like so-bad-its-good movies or you're a fan of Latter Day John Travolta, Nicholas Cage.
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)
LOTTA FUN
Probably My favorite fast and furious movie that I've seen, although that's not really saying much...A lot of action packed into this movie as well as a lot of humor and fun. Great to see Jason Statham step up and deliver the goods in an A-Movie for a change...The Rock does his thing and he's great too..also I loved Vanessa Kirby in Mission: Impossible so it was great to see her doing even more in this...a little too long in the middle but otherwise pretty solid summer entertainment
Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood (2019)
ANOTHER CLASSIC
This is a "hang out movie" through and through. Meaning It's not particularly plot driven... its laid back, chill, and all about hanging with these characters. Think "Rio Bravo", "El Dorado", or Tarantino's own "Jackie Brown". It's all about the little moments. So if you're into that you may dig this. For me, I found it very refreshing...The movie is about a washed up TV western actor played by Leo DiCaprio and his stuntman played by Brad Pitt. Its 1969 in Hollywood, California. Let the adventures begin...Both Leo and Brad have strong chemistry and give excellent performances in this. Leo is funnier than he has ever been, and Brad gives one of his best performances I've seen from him. Its an engrossing 160 minutes full of heart, humor, and unexpected twists. Thoroughly enjoyable and a world I want to revisit again to hang out in.
Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood (2019)
ANOTHER CLASSIC
This is a "hang out movie" through and through. Meaning It's not particularly plot driven... its laid back, chill, and all about hanging with these characters. Think "Rio Bravo", "El Dorado", or Tarantino's own "Jackie Brown". It's all about the little moments. So if you're into that you may dig this. For me, I found it very refreshing...The movie is about a washed up TV western actor played by Leo DiCaprio and his stuntman played by Brad Pitt. Its 1969 in Hollywood, California. Let the adventures begin...Both Leo and Brad have strong chemistry and give excellent performances in this. Leo is funnier than he has ever been, and Brad gives one of his best performances I've seen from him. Its an engrossing 160 minutes full of heart, humor, and unexpected twists. Thoroughly enjoyable and a world I want to revisit again to hang out in.
Toy Story 4 (2019)
Toy Story - The Continuing Adventures
SOME MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD
"My overall feeling for this film having just walked out of it was a bit of disappointment. And its actually a solid movie. However solid is not good enough for a franchise like Toy Story. Now I am of the perhaps minority opinion that the first two Toy Story films were the best ones, exercises in near perfect storytelling. I liked the third one. Everyone talks about the ending with Andy or the scene where the toys almost get incinerated. But to me the rest of the film was mainly serviceable. Ken was great. But overall I feel it didn't quite live up to the very high standard of the original two.
Toy Story 4 feels more in the vein of 3 as well. So if you're one of the many people that absolutely love TS3 you will probably love this one.
Its weird because TS3 felt like a fitting send off to all of these characters, so to see them back again is strange. It feels more like a sort of toy story dlc if you will, or the "continuing adventures of" if you will then a full on true sequel.
Here are the pros of the film... as a whole its an entertaining 90 minutes filled with humor and good storytelling, and what's more you get to revisit these wonderful characters again. I liked the idea of bringing back Bo Peep and addressing her absence in the last film. The new characters are the best part of the movie, Forky, Duke Kaboom, and the Key and Peele duo...
Now for the cons... I found it to be very emotionally manipulative and exploitive, much like Toy Story 3. Every other scene is trying to make you cry, it just kind of wallows in sappy emotions. The first two had great emotional scenes without seeming manipulative or manufactured in any way. I don't know it just felt laid on a little too thick for me... also Woody is so clingy in this one to the point of annoyance. He's not as heroic or dashing as he has been in the past, more whiney and honestly kind of a pushover.
Also Buzz Lightyear. The once great character has been, for the second film in a row, relegated to merely a supporting player. He has a sort of arc, more of a running gag really, about him learning to listen to his "inner voice". But its not enough. Its honestly a tragedy to see this iconic character being given so little to work with, static, no longer evolving or being as active in the stories.
Bo Peep was cool and it was great to see her again... BUT at the same time it really takes some suspending of disbelief to accept such a significant transformation of the character we know from the first two films. She was never really a go-getter take action type in the others. Of course I can see see how she might have evolved having been on her own for so many years, and I do realize she was more of a side character before and they had to flesh her out... still I couldn't help but feel she was a different person to the point of even betraying who she has been established to be.... its really more of a gripe than a true negative.
The Gabby Doll voiced by Christina Hendricks literally forces Woody to give up his voice box and we're supposed to turn around and feel sorry for her. I mean that was pretty clunky handled I think.
A lot of the original toys are back and yet they are simply just... there. You see their faces but they contribute almost nothing. Why even include them in the film? I just see the first two films as having more depth and nuance with these characters. They were firing on all cylinders creatively. And now, to a degree, Toy Story has been reduced to nostalgia and trying to milk all of those tear jerker moments.
But I have to say, I enjoyed a change of scenery. The highways, an antique store, a carnival... and I did enjoy the Woody and Bo Peep stuff overall, it was really the soul of this movie. I was so glad to see them together again..."
TOY STORY 4 is a decent movie, I liked it. Its just not quite on par with the originals.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019)
An odd and disappointing send off to the Fox era XMEN films
It started out okay but really started to lose me after about twenty minutes. Jen Lawrence is a great actress but she's been awful in XMen for the most part, and she's worse than ever here. The movie is boring and too familiar and then you have characters that behave out of character (beast and Xavier). It felt like a smaller more contained story, which I was all for, but if you're doing the Phoenix storyline it probably justifies something more epic in scope. Jessica Chastain was not very interesting and felt almost tacked on. Also the timeline for these movies is beyond confusing at this point, and this movie makes no effort to honor the established continuity. Furthermore how is it that everyone looks the exact same 30 years after first class? 8 years from this movie Michael Fassbender is supposed to look like Ian McKellan..so lazy they made no effort to age the actors. and this didn't feel at all like it took place in the early 90's, with first class and dofp you got a sense of the time they were in, with apocalypse and especially this one not so much....very mediocre film.
Aladdin (2019)
ALADDIN 2019
Minor "spoilers" possibly...
This is a tough one. On the one hand, it's yet another substandard, artificial, committee funded, market researched, and socially progressive remake...and one that gets lost in translation from animation to live action. And yet I'd be remiss to say that I didn't enjoy this movie. It wasn't good, but there were things to like, and the final feeling was an overall good one...The problem is is that certain things that worked perfectly for the animated classic don't really belong in the live action version, at least this movie made no effort to justify their being carried over (I'm looking at you Iago). The lad who plays Aladdin was likable and but somehow I feel he wasn't the best choice. He's certainly not a singer and his performance was awkward at times, particularly when he tries to be funny. He lacks that rugged scrapper quality you would expect out of Aladdin (especially Guy Ritchie street Aladdin)... Naomi Scott did a good job, she looks great and can really sing too. Although they try to give her character more of an arc this time, it ultimately doesn't work. Her arc literally interrupts the momentum of the third act just so she can have a very forced musical number that's trying to be the next "Let it go".... The guy who plays Jafar wasn't terribly charismatic and his take of the villain pales in comparison to animated Jafar... Will Smith was easily the best part of the movie. To his credit, he doesn't try to do a Robin Williams impersonation, he makes the Genie his own...Still certain moments were fun (i.e. Aladdin dancing at the party, anything with the genie, some of the musical numbers....some of that was really awkward though yikes)....The film certainly feels like a Disney product. Everyone is dressed impeccably, even Aladdin who's supposed to be a hobo and a street rat...the city of Agrabah never transcends feeling like a set...there is a lot of CGI and some of it is jarring when blended with the live action elements...it lacks the down and dirty grit you'd expect from Guy Ritchie...It feels more manufactured and manipulative than real, in the moment and natural. Unfortunately, its more often jarring, awkward, and disappointing in comparison....Yet Overall It's fun and enjoyable. It gives you the feels, it makes you laugh. It entertains you and takes you away for two hours... Its just In the end you can't help but wonder - what was the point of this? to remind us to go watch the original? which is so obviously superior in almost every way...
The Professor and the Madman (2019)
PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN
Was very interested to see this having heard Mel Gibson bought the rights to the book on which it is based back in 1998 and had been developing it as a passion project ever since. I become even more fascinated by it having heard of all the production troubles that happened, with Mel and Director Farhad Safina suing Voltage Pictures and basically disowning the finished (or unfinished) film....But I was willing to give it a try. I thought it was an excellent film - thoroughly involving, well acted by everyone, crisp intelligent dialogue, beautifully shot, and by the end it moves you and leaves you thinking. The movie concerns the ambitious undertaking of compiling the Oxford English dictionary. Gibson plays the professor and Penn the madman, and the film examines their unusual friendship that proves to be a very fruitful partnership as well...There were some events that happen over the course of the movie that I found to be...unbelievable. Whether or not they actually happened I am not sure, but it certainly didn't ruin the movie either. I felt maybe they could have developed Penn and Gibson's relationship a bit more as well...But overall this was a solid movie. Good to see Mel Gibson can still act!
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)
GHOST PROTOCOL
This seems to be the general favorite among a lot of people I talk to. Its got a great sense of pacing and rhythm, it just flies by fluidly and with great style. The set pieces are gripping and imaginative. Ghost Protocol really established the template of what Mission Impossible is. Not just a Tom Cruise vehicle, but a globe-trotting, exotic, action spy adventure that really emphasizes the team effort as a whole. Brad Bird brings his trademark colorful energy and retro style to the table, Giacchino delivers a big exotic and fun musical score to match, and Tom Cruise proves to the world that he isn't going away anytime soon in what was at the time the biggest box office hit of his career.
Game of Thrones (2011)
game of thrones
Absolutely amazing show, one of the best, if not the best of all time. grand epic scope and very involving story with fascinating characters. also, A lot of very sexy women show their boobs. and dragons.
Mission: Impossible III (2006)
MI3
One thing I will say about this one, it's probably the most intense and intimate Mission Film. You really begin to get a sense of who Ethan Hunt is and become invested in him as a character. JJ Abrams brings that emphasis on story and emotional investment to the table in this one. And like all of his films, it's got a nice visual flair, its energetic, entertaining, and a lot of fun. Even the way its shot, with all the close ups, it just feels more personal and intimate...in MI3 Ethan Hunt, engaged and retired from field work, is brought back onto the field to rescue a former protege of his and soon becomes embroiled in a personal conflict with an arms dealer played brilliantly by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Arguably the best villain of the series...Michelle Monaghan is a natural talent, pretty and showing vulnerability, and I fully bought her relationship with Ethan. Aaron Paul pops up as Ethan's brother in law, I was just left wanting more of his comedic relief after the few scenes he is in... Benji appears for the first time in the series, a little fatter and before his days as a field agent and Ethan's close friend...it's a solid movie. It is the first glimmer of what was to come with Ghost Protocol and beyond. But the seed of that idea began here, it just hadn't been fully formed. The filmmakers are slowly putting the pieces in place to get back to what Mission Impossible is supposed to be. The team effort is emphasized more, the musical motifs from the original series are revived, and Ethan Hunt as a character is clearly defined. I love the ending. Its not like the last two, its not any big stunt or action sequence, its action packed for sure, and very tense, but its all driven by character....Might be my least favorite overall, it doesn't stand out in the way some of the others do, its perfectly serviceable, and well executed, but it is fairly conventional with its script...But still good!
Mission: Impossible II (2000)
JOHN WOO TRIES TO MAKE A HITCHCOCK MOVIE FOR SOME REASON BUT ITS STILL A LOT OF FUN
I Actually love this movie. Part of that is nostalgia and because I grew up with it but I also just unashamedly love it and the style of it. You will never see another Mission Impossible like this. With Limp Bizkit doing the theme song, this version of Ethan hunt, this dramatic, this style of action...True it Is the least like a classic mission impossible but it does feature an impossible mission and Tom Cruise is in it so that's good enough for me....and it's a hell of an entertaining and stylish spy action film....I never really looked at this as lacking action, I always thought of it as the most action packed, but the more I look at it it really doesn't start unleashing full on action scenes until the third act...and boy does it deliver. But the rest of the film is so stylish and fun that I don't care...Whereas in Ghost Protocol and Rogue Nation, it kicks off with action, peaks in the middle, and slightly loses momentum coming into the third act...or in Mission 1 where it isn't even really a full on action film per say, and has only a few distinct set pieces amidst a lot of suspense and mystery...MI2 kicks off with a big bang, and then becomes a NOTORIOUS style love story and has some heist and mission impossibly stuff going on through out, but it really bottles up all the big action and stunts, saving it for the end, and then just unleashes it it all for the last 30 minutes or so....and its a great payoff. Best third act (Fallout comes close) of any Mission film and right up there with The Matrix as one of the best third acts of any action movie. Ethan Hunt jumping from that building, blatantly ripping off Last of the Mohicans (not to mention GoldenEye earlier in the film) and then building eventually into The motorcycle chase and the martial arts battle on the beach....John Woo is the Hitchcock of action films. He directs action with ease and grace and elevates it to an almost poetry. His style really elevates the material. The slow mo, the doves.... Its so great...Tom Cruise adapts perfectly to this style of action with his long hair and convincing stunt work with the guns, motorcycles, and kung fu stuff...its a movie of its time that people like to hate on. And they all raise good points. But for the style they're going for, I think this movie more than succeeds. Its entertaining and fun and cool.