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It Ends with Us (2024)
typical romance, where's the creativity
Disclaimer: I've never read the book so my review is not about how good of an adaptation it is.
I knew this was based on a novel and had only seen the trailer. The trailer was pretty generic and that's what I expected this to be. And for the most part I was right about my assumptions. A woman falls in love with a man but soon realizes she loves her ex after he comes back into her life.
What I did not expect was the emphasis of domestic violence in this story. Unfortunately, this film treads too lightly and takes too long in revealing that it's dealing with this major topic.
The scenes of domestic violence were shown as accidents for most of the film so it wasn't apparent that these things were happening. I understand it was done intentionally to show how victims of such abuse are often in denial and repress their memories. However, I would have preferred if it was more straight forward with its intentions. Its message would have been stronger and much clearer had the scenes of abuse not been downplayed just to cater to a younger audience. I think it's important for young women to receive these lessons but minimizing these harsh realities is not the most effective way to make an impact.
As far as characters are concerned, Atlas was the most grounded. I felt more sympathy for him throughout the film than I ever did for Lily at any moment. The film did a better job at making him feel vulnerable with the effective flashbacks and backstory. And his relationship and chemistry both as a teenager and an adult was much more believable than Lily's relationship with Ryle.
Overall, the best parts of the film were the parts that dealt strictly with Atlas and Lily. Had this film not been adapted from a best-selling novel it would have never been in theaters. This is not worth the money just wait to stream it.
Trap (2024)
Trapped delivering unsuccessful films
The production of the concert was well done with the catchy songs and performance from Saleka Shyamalan (Lady Raven). But the pacing is a bit slow in these parts as we wait for the cat and mouse game to begin. There are characters that this film could have left out like Jody's Mom (Marnie Mcphail).
This film suffers from too much plot armor. Many times, Josh Hartnett (Cooper) is surrounded and somehow gets away without being noticed. He doesn't do anything particularly cleaver to get away he just goes undetected for the sake of the story. Even the police are never suspicious of him despite them actively looking for a killer. There is even a scene when another character could have easily revealed he was the killer and had him captured as they were walking down a hall filled with cops.
The film felt like a horror movie made for preteen girls. Hartnett at times showed that he was very capable as an actor in delivering an awesome performance in this role but the script did not allow him to. For a movie about a serial killer there is barely a scene of violence in this whole film. Cooper is called "the butcher" and not a single person gets killed in this film. Some movies are not meant to be pg-13 and this was one of them.
The premise for this movie almost feels pointless once it is revealed how the police were made aware that Cooper would be at this concert.
Overall, this isn't a very memorable film and just another film by M. Night Shyamalan that I will not be revisiting.
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Entertaining and funny but not great
This film was definitely made with the fans in mind. It loads up on the nostalgia with an assortment of cameos from previous films and a few other surprise characters. While the plot is the weakest part of the whole movie, it is easy to forget the story while watching it because there is so much going on. The constant jokes and breaking of the fourth wall kept things entertaining and lighthearted. But there were tons of sexual references that might be off putting to some if they are not into raunchy jokes. The violence and gore made for some cool fight scenes. The music didn't always work but that intro has to be one of the most memorable.
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman's chemistry is over the top. This often felt like a buddy cop film with the constant banter between the two and it worked perfectly. Of the two characters, Wolverine had the more interesting story. Deadpool on the other hand had a very simple motive that made his story and purpose in this film feel like an afterthought.
This film lacked the tension it needed to make it feel like there was a lot at stake. Part of the problem was that the villain never truly felt threatening. The film drags for too long before the villain is put in a position to become a threat. By the time this happens the story is nearing its predictable conclusion.
While this film wasn't perfect, fans will now have a sense of hope for the future of the MCU. The multiverse allowed for the introduction of Wolverine into this universe without tarnishing the previous Logan (2017) story. This film also sets up so many possibilities involving Wolverine and the X-men in the future. In conclusion, this film is one of the most impactful films in the MCU and it does it with nonstop entertainment.
Longlegs (2024)
Underwhelming conclusion to such an eerie film
This film excels in the way it is able to create and build upon an unsettling atmosphere. It's a psychological experience in the feeling of anxiety as we anticipate what will happen next. The music and cinematography aid in selling this feeling of uneasiness. Nicolas Cage is perfectly casted as "Longlegs" and he nails this creepy character with his performance. But he is also limited by what the character was allowed to do. The character ultimately was more like a weird neighbor that gives you the creeps. But his lack of violence never made him feel truly terrifying.
Maika Monroe (FBI Agent Lee Harker) added to the uneasiness of this film. She always seemed anxious or came off as if she had too much on her mind. Her breathing was annoying sometimes but I guess it helped in making those moments feel stressful.
I enjoyed the majority of this movie while it felt like a cat and mouse game between the police and the serial killer. But once this film deviated at the end to add some supernatural element, I felt like the movie fell apart. The film takes away the tension it builds and goes off track with a wicked explanation for what has been going on and it all seems silly. Much like Maxxxine it was the ending of this film that didn't work. The reveal and explanation for what was going on was just disappointing.
MaXXXine (2024)
A better ending is all this needed
While Mia Goth delivers a strong performance her character isn't as developed as it was in "Pearl". Her character although violent was very tamed for the most part. The tension in this film never matched with what was at stake for her character. The moments of tension were primarily centered around the idea of the night stalker. The premise of the night stalker was an interesting idea but it could have been used more effectively in the overall story. It however fitted in perfectly with the 80's vibe and the Hollywood craze of those times.
Kevin Bacon was excellent and steals the show delivering the most memorable performance out of all the cast. Bobby Cannavale and Michelle Monaghan were also fun to watch with their funny dialogue. Simon Prast's character on the other hand is the reason this film doesn't work.
This film is easily the weakest in the trilogy for the direction it takes in the end. A highly disappointing ending for a film that built up a story that was far more intriguing than what it ultimately delivered.
Kinds of Kindness (2024)
2 good stories 1 boring story
Kinds of kindness is an anthology film. It is broken down into three separate stories with the same actors playing different characters in each story.
The first Story (The Death of R. M. F.) centers around Robert Fletcher (Jesse Plemons) who essentially owes his life to Raymond (Willem Dafoe). Raymond requests Robert to carry out a task for him in which he does not execute properly. This results in the unraveling of Robert's life and much about his life is revealed to the audience. The characters and their relationships are quirky but always interesting. This has an enjoyable ending even though it leaves one wanting to know more about these characters and their motives. This story was funny and thrilling.
The second story (R. M. F. Is Flying) is much easier to follow from the moment it starts opposed to the previous story. Daniel (Jesse Plemons) is suspicious about his wife Liz (Emma Stone) who returns home after being missing. He believes she is someone else and the rest of this story revolves around him trying to prove that. This story was a bit gorier than the first. It was as funny as the first story but had some horror elements about it.
The third story (R. M. F. Eats a Sandwich) was the weakest of the stories. Emily (Emma Stone) and Andrew (Jesse Plemons) are part of a sexual cult and they are in search of someone who can bring people back from the dead. Although it has this supernatural element to it, this story wasn't interesting. I wasn't drawn to the characters and so it wasn't fun to follow them.
All of the actors involved in this film were great and truly demonstrated how talented they are by each playing three different characters.
In each of these stories there is either nudity, sex or sexual content all of which I did not care for at all. I'm not a fan of these unnecessary sexual relationships that do not push the plot.
Aside from these weird sexual fetishes that these stories seem to have the main weakness of this movie is the fact that each story would have benefited from being their own feature film. All of the stories leave too many questions to be asked and so their endings are not truly satisfying.
A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)
A boring place
A quiet place: Day One
I left the theater highly disappointed with this prequel. The film began as expected showing the aliens entering earth's atmosphere and causing chaos by attacking everyone. But then it became a film about getting pizza during this alien invasion. The plot was just too silly for how serious this film should have been. If I wanted to watch people go on a wild food crave adventure I would have just watched "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" (2004). That film was at least funny and more entertaining than this.
The characters seemed to figure out that they couldn't make noise rather quickly. I found it hard to believe that that would be the case from the way it was shown. One scene the aliens arrive and attack and the next there are a group of people hiding out having figured out that they must not make noise.
The characters were bland despite this films effort to make things emotional. Reuben (Alex Wolff) had far more chemistry with Sam (Lupita Nyongo) than Eric (Joseph Quinn) had with her. I'm not sure why the film makers decided to go in the direction they did with these characters but in the end it didn't work.
I found this movie to be very boring and dragged far beyond its runtime. The setting was cool since you got to see the creatures scaling the buildings and running through an urban environment but that was the only thing refreshing about this film. More of Henri (Djimon Hounsou) would have elevated this movie by giving fans more from a character they already knew.
Overall, this felt like an unnecessary movie that only served to give the franchise its first weak film.
Inside Out 2 (2024)
One of this years best
While this can be watched and enjoyed as a standalone film, I would highly recommend watching the first part beforehand. The reason being is that the first film does all the world building and explains all its components in detail. That's not to say this is made more confusing without it but it makes for a better experience. One of those experiences is revisiting places from the first movie and seeing how they have changed as Riley has aged. New elements are also introduced such as beliefs and secrets.
The film maintains the integrity of each the characters from the first film while still introducing new and interesting characters. Anxiety gets the most screen time out of all the new characters and some might see that as a negative. But it makes sense that that's the emotion that one would deal with on a higher level than the other new emotions introduced.
Anxiety is a big theme in this film and while some might feel it is not suitable for children or that children might not fully comprehend what is going on I don't think that makes this film inappropriate in any way. It's a film that helps us understand ourselves and even our children and how to address these emotions that they may feel. It's a movie that deals with real life issues and that's part of what makes it so great and relatable. This film still manages to keep its characters likeable for children. They don't feel like adult characters they just deal with more mature themes.
The film is fast paced and entertaining throughout. The animation is great and even some of the characters are given their own animation style. The humor is also blended well without feeling forced. The voice acting is also very well done. This film is on par with the first and should be given a watch.
Hit Man (2023)
Glen Powell delivers
Glen Powell embodied every character he played making it exciting to see who he would play next. It was easy to believe he was each person he played because he did such a great job with each one.
Adria Arjona also delivers a very convincing performance. Her character although not changing physically like Glen Powell, does demonstrate a multi-dimensional persona. The relationship that develops between these two characters is both romantic and thrilling. The rest of the cast is also good without a single flawed performance.
There are some interesting psychological ideas explored in this movie. Not only were the ideas interesting but so was the manner in which they were delivered. Glen Powell's character Gary essentially would speak to his students about certain psychological ideas while simultaneously exploring these ideas as a hitman.
Overall, this was a well written and interesting story. It's a good blend of comedy, romance and crime.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024)
The Bad Boys do it Again
This plot felt more organic and less forced than the last movie. It was an interesting concept to have their former captain framed for corruption and having them clear his name. While the story flowed much better than the last movie it was very predictable. Had it not been so predictable this would have been much better. But even so this was absolutely entertaining to watch. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence deliver once again. Their chemistry is undeniable, they just make for a great combo and it's no reason fans love these films. Martin was absolutely funny throughout the whole movie. Will had his moments but what I liked about him in this movie was the character development. There was a sense of growth to his character that is evidently different from the Mike Lowrey from the first two movies. There was a bit of that in the last movie but this movie opens up with him already at that level.
This film had so much more style than any of the other "Bad Boys" movies. Some chances were taken with the visuals and it worked out for the best. The cinematography made this movie so much fun to watch. There were so many different and unexpected angles. The pacing never lets up making the two hours of this film a breeze to sit through. The replacing of the actress that plays Martin's wife caught me off guard because I wasn't aware that a change had been made but it did not take away from the movie in anyway. There are a couple of fun cameos and Reggie has a very memorable moment. There were also moments that call back to the previous films which tied everything nicely. There was only one scene that stood out as being really unrealistic which involved the prevention of Armando from falling out of a falling plane. But even that wasn't enough to stop me from enjoying this movie.
If you are a fan of this franchise then it is likely you'll enjoy what this film has to offer.
Argylle (2024)
More entertaining than initially expected. Give it a chance
I ended up finally giving this a watch after skipping on its theatrical release due to the negative ratings. This was pleasantly entertaining with all of its twists which kept me engaged throughout as I tried to make sure I didn't get lost. Though I enjoyed this I did feel it got overly ridiculous stylistically in the last 30 minutes. These scenes blurred the lines between fantasy and reality which leads me to believe there is another underlying twist which wasn't discussed in the film.
Perhaps I'll have to wait on the prequel/sequels to find out. This is not a film people should come into taking too seriously but it is definitely a ride if you let yourself escape into what is going on. The story and the twists are its strongest parts although stylistically it's not so bad except for those few parts in the last 30 minutes. Give it a chance and have fun with it.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
Furious at this Prequel
Furious at this prequal
Having watched "Mad Max: Fury Road" right before watching this, it was easy to notice the drastic decrease in quality. "Fury Road" is truly a full throttle action film while "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" is boring and nonsensical from the moment it starts. The opening scene shows a young Furiosa being kidnapped and blowing a whistle to call for help. A whole village of people hear the call but literally only two people respond. She is taken away and there are clearly opportunities when she could have been saved but she isn't for the sake of the plot. This kidnapping scene drags on with poor dialogue and lifeless humor. This was just the beginning of what the rest of this film would be.
Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) is a ridiculously lousy character. He was supposed to be the villain but takes on more of a comedic role. From the moment he appears on screen he looks like the parody of a villain. He has a prosthetic nose; he's wearing a white sheet for a cape and accessorizes his outfit with a teddy bear chained to his back. So, it was impossible to take him serious at all especially with that distracting nose that felt pointless to say the least. It didn't help that his dialogue was also playful and made this film a nightmare tonally.
The younger versions of Furiosa not played by Anya Taylor-Joy were well acted but took up too much of the run time. Anya Taylor-Joy was okay as Furiosa. However, there are scenes involving her character that didn't make sense like her walking around The Citadel with long hair unnoticed. Or Immortan Joe never noticing she's gone. Not to mention her escape when she loses her arm. Praetorian Jack (Tom Burke) was also just an okay character. I didn't mind his role in the story.
While the visuals were similar to those of "Fury Road", the action scenes didn't feel as intense. There were also random points in the film where someone would narrate the story which was a weird direction to tell this story.
Overall, this film was too long. There are too many scenes that are longer than they needed to be. It was boring for most of its runtime and failed to explore things that would have been more interesting. A forgetful prequel.
The Fall Guy (2024)
Poor execution of a good idea
"The Fall Guy" is the perfect example of a poorly executed idea. What initially made this film interesting was the idea that the stuntman would ultimately become the action star by going on this mission to find the missing movie star. This was the perfect set up to allow the stuntman to do a bunch of crazy stunts that were entertaining while also paying homage to the stunt community. Instead, this film delivers the most generic action sequences ever shown in film and doesn't even make them look good. Guys fall through glass, cars crash, a few things blow up but there isn't anything captivating about the visuals.
Had this delivered on the action then the plot could have been forgiven. Unfortunately, that was not the case and the plot is revealed to be very weak. The central conflict that is supposed to drive the plot is very foolish which made the motives of the antagonist just the same. This resulted in the film having weak and undeveloped characters. The love story started off promising but quickly became very bland without any emotion to support it.
The humor is very mild with only some chuckles to be had. It would be difficult to classify this as a comedy when the biggest comedic element was the "twist" reveal which was comedic for its lack of surprise. Some scenes dragged on for too long and there were too many references made about other films.
The scenes which involved the movie making process were enjoyable. More of that behind-the-scenes insight would have made this film more interesting. It could have been an action film within an action film showcasing all that stunt people do. This could have been the ultimate action movie but instead it only has a good song to its credit (I was made for Lovin' You).
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)
An okay beginning to the next chapter
The CGI is hands down the best thing about this film. Every animal looks and moves in a realistic manner. The world itself is also visually stunning. The voice work from all of the actors is also great. As far as the characters are concerned there are some enjoyable ones.
Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand) was a decent character. It was interesting how he used
the idea and teachings of Caesar to manipulate the other apes. While he was the main antagonist motivated by his ideas of evolution, it was Sylva (Eka Darville) who felt the most threatening. Raka (Peter Macon) was another enjoyable character with his insight of the past and his love for the legend of Caesar.
Noa (Owen Teague) was a good protagonist for this film. His clan and their primitive ways gave insight into what the world was like for some of the apes during this time.
The human characters were the weaker characters of this film. William H. Macey (Trevathan) was a waste of a character. He didn't add any value to the story. Freya Allan (Mae) was just an okay character. Despite her motivations she wasn't very likeable. She was very one dimensional and didn't have much of a character build up.
This film does slow down immensely during the second act and was a bit too long for its own good. Too much time is spent exploring the importance of the vault and the characters trying to get it open. This should have only been a small portion of the movie instead it practically became the whole thing. The film makers stretched a small idea too thin when other ideas could have been explored. The idea of different ape clans would have been more interesting even if they were all fighting to conquer this area where the vault was.
In the end the film was just too long and the first half was more enjoyable than the second half.
Mars Express (2023)
A beautiful looking film, wish the ending was different
While this might not be a genre bending film there is much to like about it. Starting with the beautiful animation style that is very fluid, colorful and detailed at every turn. The 2D art style meshes well with the story and its futuristic vibe. The music and sounds also compliment the overall feel of the film. The English dubbed version is well done with each voice suiting the characters perfectly. The dialogue is always purposeful providing context or aiding in the characters development. The characters however are not strong enough to be memorable. Even the villain is very stereotypical.
There are some funny moments but just enough to keep things light hearted. The pacing and structure allow for an easy viewing experience. There are some action and chase sequences which break up the exposition but nothing too over the top. The film was fine when it was a mystery thriller but when it changes course to try and be something with a deeper meaning it takes a plunge. Ultimately the ending was a letdown leading to a lower rating. This is still a good film but the ending was underwhelming.
Unsung Hero (2024)
An okay film with a good performance by Daisy Betts
The trailer lends itself to that of "A star is Born". So, I decided to watch it without knowing anything about the people it is based on. This is a true story based on the life of Christian Singer Rebecca St. James before her rise to fame. The film begins by showing that her family didn't always struggle and were well off until one bad investment during a recession cost them everything. The rest of the runtime goes on to show their struggles to get back on their feet and how she got her break as a Christian Singer.
Joel Smallbone (David Smallbone) played a believable role as the father of this family struggling to keep them financially stable. Through his character he was able to show how much this father cared for his family and how much it hurt him to not be able to take care of them at times. Compared to other characters, he was given some depth which helped make him relatable.
The standout performance was that of Daisy Betts (Helen Smallbone). She stole every scene she was in as this mother who stayed strong for her family despite their hardships. Her acting ranged from subtle body language and facial expressions to full on dramatic moments. There wasn't a single emotion she didn't express.
Kirrilee Berger (Rebecca St. James) unfortunately wasn't given much to work with. She was a subdued character despite this film being inspired by her. For most of the time she was just the daughter with the good singing voice. She was easily forgotten in this story that overpowered her with the drama between her parents. She should have been more of the focus since this ultimately became her story even if it was the family's story.
The remaining family members weren't developed as characters. Only one of them was given somewhat of a personality the rest were just bodies to make this family appear large. The only thing that supports having such meaningless characters is the fact that they had to be in the film to represent the real family.
The music works well throughout complementing its emotional scenes. The singing was also enjoyable. The family drama was engaging enough to keep one invested in what it had to say. There were many positive messages and touching moments which accentuated the importance of family, hard work and having faith. However, the film is in no way heavy handed with its message of faith. There are scenes where the family is praying and going to church but it isn't preachy. It simply shows the family's beliefs. Many of the negative reviews stem from those who feel this film should have fully devoted itself to religious talks. If those are your expectations then do not watch this film.
The ending wasn't very pleasing as it rushes its conclusion on what's already a very predictable plot. The film needed to show more of the family's success instead of coming to a halt at the turn of their misfortune.
Challengers (2024)
Expected more drama but this was good
This film is not for anyone expecting a traditional sports drama. This film isn't so much about tennis either although there is tennis in the film. It is more about the relationships between these characters which revolves around tennis. There is a love triangle involving the three main characters and this film slowly breaks down this love triangle throughout the film.
The acting in this film is well done as all of the actors played very believable roles. All of the three actors had great chemistry. While the acting was good there wasn't a single actor that stood out. There weren't any scene stealing performances or melodramatic dialogue except for perhaps one scene.
The characters themselves didn't have any redeeming qualities about them which didn't give the audience anyone to root for. While this is not necessarily a bad thing it did take away that element of a typical sports movie. Also, Art Donaldson (Mike Faust) and Patrick Zweig (Josh O'Connor) often had homosexual tendencies but the film failed to actually address that relationship between the characters. This made these scenes meaningless as they did not further develop the characters or the plot. The sexual scenes lasted longer than necessary and there was also unnecessary nudity from background characters.
The music was often distracting and didn't mesh well with the scenes. There was a techno beat that played randomly to set up tension but it was so off-putting. It only worked perhaps in one scene. Then there was another spanish church choir sample that was used for another two scenes that didn't fit well with what was going on either. It was supposed to aid in two sad moments in the film but it was just a weird use of music.
The non-linear timeline of this film could make for either a confusing or annoying experience. The reason being is that the story would often alternate between the past and the present. This form of storytelling did have its benefits as it allowed for revealing information to be had which further built the characters and the tension.
The tennis scenes were fun to watch with the varies camera angles and other techniques that further enhanced some of the film's visual appeal.
The ending did seem abrupt and a bit nonsensical because of the way the characters were portrayed in that final frame.
Overall, this was still enjoyable and a good film.
Abigail (2024)
An entertaining vampire flick
The film wastes no time in setting up its premise and delivering what audiences came to see. The kidnappers are quickly introduced along with their motives. Abigail (Alisha Weir) is revealed to be a vampire and the pacing is full throttle until the end. Abigail as a character was fun with her ballerina movements and costume. Her teeth could have been more menacing which would have improved her vampire look. For the most part she looked like a normal girl which was a flaw in the character design. It was interesting how the film decided to give her more of a story oppose to just making her a simple monster.
I liked the manner in which Melissa Barrera (Joey) is used to introduce the kidnappers and give the audience an idea of each character. She is given just the right amount of backstory to add depth to her character. The same can be said about Dan Stevens (Frank). The screen time for Angus Cloud (Dean) and Giancarlo Esposito (Lambert) was a let down because I enjoyed what they brought to this film.
Unfortunately, this film did have some crappy characters. William Catlett (Rickles) was a weak character and provided nothing to this story. Kathryn Newton (Sammy) was terrible to watch.
Her performance was unenjoyable. The direction of her character would have been better if her performance was better.
Kevin Durand (Peter) as the comedic relief was inconsistent. There were times the humor worked and other times when the jokes were childish. This film has the same issue many horror films have with trying to add too much comedy. This is the fault of the writing more so than the actors as is evident in the lousy dialogue.
As far as the action is concerned, there were some gore filled scenes. For the most part, the deaths were decent but some of the deaths could have been better. The film didn't deviate or try to create anything new with the vampire rules fans are familiar with but it worked just fine.
Sometimes the characters weren't realistic in their reactions to what was going on. Specifically, when the first character is found dead.
Even with its flaws this film was still enjoyable and entertaining. I was engaged throughout and never bored. The film keeps things interesting up until the very end.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)
A true story told in the most cartoonish way possible
It sucks that this is the direction in which this true story is told. This is essentially an action comedy with no hints of drama during a time of war. Everything about this film is very generic, from the way the plot is laid out to the way the characters are introduced.
This film felt like a parody of what actually happened during this mission. At no point in the film was there any tension or the feeling that there were high-stakes. All of the characters seemed indestructible as they fought and shot their way to the ending of the film. The characters are not developed beyond the names and skill sets they were given in their two second intros. There wasn't any chemistry between any of the characters. There isn't much dialogue or exposition. There are some decent action sequences in this film but that's not enough to carry the story in any meaningful way. This film felt like a story written from the imagination of a child playing with their military action figures.
Road House (2024)
Blah House
This movie was a joke from the moment it started. The CGI used during the Post Malone fight was horrible. I couldn't understand why a simple fight between two human characters needed CGI. There were other fight scenes that used CGI but the best use of it was during the final fight between Gyllenhaal and Mcgregor.
The dialogue was very cringy and laughable throughout the movie from all the characters but especially from that of Conor Mcgregor. I'm not sure why Jake Gyllenhaal decided to take on this role because this was such a weak and generic script. The UFC flash backs were minimal, there could have been more of that. The majority of the characters were just poorly written and weren't well developed. It's never explained exactly why Gyllenhaal went overboard and killed his friend in the ring. Not much is said or known about Mcgregor's character either.
I'm not a big fan of the original 1989 film but that one is much better than this one.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)
Good entertainment
This film was very fun to watch. It's re-watchable for its pure entertainment value. The action begins as soon as the movie starts and it doesn't let up until the credits roll. It is by no means a perfect film. The human characters continue being the worst part about these films. The majority of the human characters are unnecessary. The humor from the human characters often felt forced and childish. Even the plot could have been pushed forward without the humans and made this more enjoyable.
The special affects are good throughout the majority of the film. Although, Kong does look a bit cartoony at the beginning of the film right before the title card. Godzilla is the best looking monster out of all the creatures but he unfortunately had the least amount of screen time. The story focuses mostly on Kong so don't expect too much from Godzilla.
Overall this was a good film to catch on the big screen and enjoy with the family.
Civil War (2024)
False Advertising,
The trailers are misleading. This film is more about journalism than it is about a civil war. There is a civil war taking place during the film but its the vaguest civil war ever. Not once was there any mention of the reasons why the country was in a civil war. The whole time I was waiting to see what caused the country to split in such a dramatic fashion but the answers never came. There was only the mention of one group being referred to as the western forces (WF) throughout the film. As to who the other group were or their beliefs is still a mystery.
The plot of the journalist trying to make it into the danger zone was interesting. The film was able to depict how close and involved these journalist get to some of the craziest scenes imaginable.
There were some tense moments and the sounds of the gun fire were excellent and often startling. The trailers made it seem like this was going to be a war movie. Even the promotional poster shows military men taking cover on the Statue of Liberty and that wasn't even in the film. There were only a couple of scenes that involved actual combat and some explosions.
I enjoyed how the film captured and displayed the still shots of the photographers. The film's concept of showing the "war" through the camera lens of these journalist was interesting. However, this film just didn't have enough story, action or heart to execute the idea.
This would have been interesting had the film just delivered on what it promoted which was a "Purge" like civil war movie.
In the end this was a shallow story with forgettable characters. The only character that stood out was that of actor Jesse Plemons. He was in the film for about five minutes and stole the show. I would only recommend this film for that one scene but otherwise this is a streaming film.
The First Omen (2024)
an underwhelming prequel that failed to capitalize on its potential.
What's great about the 1976 original is that it ends leaving audiences wanting to know more about Damien's origins. Part of that intrigue is in knowing who Damien's birth mother was as a person and her experiences prior to giving birth. This prequel created some interest as fans felt they would finally get those questions answered.
While this prequel does give audiences those answers it was not a satisfying film. The film focused too much on trying to tie in a twist ending that it failed at creating interesting characters. Sister Anjelica (Ishtar Currie-Wilson) was the only character that was actually creepy with an eerie look but her role was very minimal. Father Brennan (Ralph Ineson) was another character that deserved more screen time. He was able to capture the essence of Father Brennan from the original film. Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) was not a character that demanded attention. She was a very boring character to follow, as was Carlita (Nicole Sorace).
There were references to the original which helped tie this film to that one.
There was even one scene that replicates a death from the 1976 film but it came off as lazy and unoriginal. There was however another death involving a car that was pleasing. The explanation for what is going on in the church was okay but it didn't deliver any excitement or thrills. In the end, this was an underwhelming prequel that failed to capitalize on its potential.
Monkey Man (2024)
More like regular man
An effort wasn't made to make this film feel unique. This is a straight forward cliché revenge story with no imagination in storytelling. Dev Patel plays a character that is seeking revenge against those who murdered his mother. There isn't a plot to unfold as the film doesn't try to make it a mystery as to who is responsible. Dev Patel literally only has to infiltrate this one building in order to get his revenge. While a film like "The Raid" is successful with such a simple plot, it doesn't work in this film. The main reason it doesn't work is because the action just isn't as good.
There are decent fight scenes throughout but they are few and far in between because the majority of the fights are shot through a very shaky camera. The unsteady camera work made it difficult to focus on the action in the majority of the film. When the camera work was slowed down the action scenes worked much better. Even so there wasn't anything unique about the fighting styles or the weaponry.
The dialogue in this film is very minimal leading to one dimensional characters and performances. The film doesn't spend any time building its main character. Instead, it attempts to create an emotional attachment with the use of flashbacks. While the flashbacks aid in providing the details to his mother's murder, it fails at creating empathy. The audience needed to connect with this main character but it was hard to do so with so little information provided. The audience is left to speculate as to how this boy survived without his mother or how he learned to fight.
The filmmakers were unable to capitalize on their idea of the "monkey man". The story was simplified into a moral story of fighting for what is right. While that's a positive message and it did serve the story it just didn't use this idea of the monkey man enough. Dev Patel should have worn the mask more in the film or created a special fighting style for this character.
The villain is very cliché and boring. There were only small glimpses of the Indian lifestyle and culture when in fact this film should have had so much more.
Some of the cinematography was well done and the use of lights and colors aided in giving this film a bit of visual appeal but overall, this was just a very basic action film at best.
This is not something I would recommend people rush to watch. Perhaps wait until it streams.
One Life (2023)
An incredible story made into an average film.
Walking out of the theater I was conflicted by what I would rate this film. I struggled with how I felt emotionally about this incredible story and how it didn't coincide with how I felt about its delivery.
I was touched most by Anthony Hopkins' portrayal of an older Nicky Winton. His ability to demonstrate the guilt of his character was very powerful. It was saddening to think about how a man could feel so much guilt despite doing so much good in his life. Aside from Anthony Hopkins, the rest of the characters were bland. By no means are the actors at fault. The characters were just very one dimensional. They were all written simply as people who complete a task and nothing more.
Personally, films and stories that deal with the mistreatment of children are always very impactful for me. I expected this film to exploit those emotions with some very dramatic scenes involving children but that was not the case. The scenes involving children were quite mild. The film failed to build any tension that would make one feel that the children were actually in any kind of danger. Despite the fact that we are made aware that German invasion is imminent there is never a sense of urgency. We are told rather than shown this lack of time.
I appreciated the films approach in showing what it took for the rescues to happen. But the impact on the families was made to seem like a subtle affair. The kids would get on the train and arrive in London seemingly happy to move on with their adopted families. The parents would just say goodbye but there weren't any true heartbreaking scenes while this was going on.
I liked that the film jumped back and forth between the events of the past and present day. But besides that, nothing else stood out from this film. There weren't any memorable shots or transitions. The dialogue was straight forward. The music and costumes were just okay.
In the end, there wasn't anything new or fresh about its approach to the telling of a story set during the holocaust.