Mayfieldja

Fantasy Island has a tough time figuring out what it wants to be. While trying to do many things, it fails at everything. 4 out of 10

Some kid-friendly action that delivers some good chuckles. Is it silly? Yes, but it’s incredibly self-aware and is set up to please fans and families. 7 out of 10

The Lodge has it’s moments but overall doesn’t budget time well and isn’t engaging enough to achieve the atmospheric terror that it’s trying to create. 5.5 out of 10

The Invisible Man (2020) gives us a solid performance from Elisabeth Moss and is unsettling and uncomfortable as it dives into very tangible themes. However, it still has flaws, mainly in scenes where we encounter the titular character. 6 out of 10. -SM

Arguably the greatest romance film of the last 20 years. It's elegant, insanely intelligent, and expertly dives into themes that seem just as real today as they might have in the late 1800s. 9 out of 10 -SM

Filled with over the top violence and splashes of comedy. It's not divisive and it's not choosing political sides. If it has any message at all, it's really "don't be an **** Lots of violence, some substance. 6 out of 10 -SM

Wendy hits all the feels as it dives into the themes of maintaining hope and the loss of innocence. A wonderful reimagining of a familiar tale with a ragtag cast that pulls everything together with perfection. 10 out of 10 -SM

It is a real shame that so many people have taken to review bombing the latest outing from Marvel because Captain Marvel is a fun treat for audiences willing to give it a shot. Brie Larson shows us her quick wit and star power as we see her transformation into an action star. Though the latest addition to the MCU has some flaws, specifically in the 3rd act during a CGI infused action sequence against an entire space fleet, CM wins you over with nostalgic easter eggs, solid action stretches, and some well-placed banter. As it compares to the rest of the MCU, it will likely find itself in the middle of the pack but it might have one of the greatest supporting performances in the franchise with Ben Mendelsohn.

Well, I wasn’t prepared mentally for this heartbreakingly beautiful movie about love and friendship. Ray Romano and Mark Duplass were absolutely brilliant, in this raw and emotional tale. These stellar but subtle performances leave us with a perfect balance of humor and heartbreak that leaves Paddleton in the upper echelon of 2019, thus far.

Though this film lacks the emotional punch of the first two installments of this trilogy, The Hidden World still puts a nice little bow onto the film franchise that the kids will enjoy. You will still find some laughs but ultimately this film is the weakest of three with less character development and less depth than it’s predecessors.

A Star is Born hits all the beats that it needs to and I completely understand why people love it. There are moments that down right gave me chills, specifically when Gaga performs and Sam Elliott gives a pretty rock solid performance. For all the good, there are still some flaws, mainly in some awkward chemistry moments between Cooper and Gaga where they struggled to find the emotional chords that they were looking for. Still a rock solid movie. 8 out of 10

Despite some flaws in storytelling, Alita has a lot of things to be excited about. The world building was absolutely stunning and the action sequences flat out deliver on the big screen. The third act seems a bit rushed and underwhelming but even with that, the visuals were completely worth the price of admission.

Bohemian Rhapsody gives us a stellar performance by Rami Malek but overall leans too much on nostalgia and a killer soundtrack to support a mediocre script and muddled storytelling. I would have liked less footage of Queen playing on stage and a more in-depth look at what was happening behind the music. This movie plays less like a biopic and more like a 2-hour music video. You’ll find yourself enjoying the music but that’s really about it. 6 out of 10

Netflix’s Fyre, which from jump street, finds itself in an ethical grey area being produced by the same media team that oversaw the festival's social media campaign itself. That partnership leads to better footage for the Netflix documentary but what is missing is a reason for me to care about the happenings behind the Fyre Festival. Though well shot and well produced, Fyre feels like a chance for people to clear their names, rather than giving us a naturally honest account of all that happened.

Overall this story has a few solid scares but the performances and the writing struggle to create something meaningful. Some will like, most will not.

This movie does exactly what it's meant to. It's a slow burn set through a beautiful scenery, then goes from 0-60 real fast! Nicolas Cage gets let off the leash in this brutal and beautiful revenge tale. It's an over the top bloody mess that you either accept or you don't. The outcome can definitely be polarizing but I enjoyed it from start to finish.

Strong performances drive a story forward that can be engaging at times. You get hints of the emotions but overall it tends to drag and never really delivers any powerful feelings one way or the other.

There are flaws scattered throughout this entire film. It has it's moments but overall, the over the top performances and issues in the writing hold it back.

I understand the appeal. The concept is cool and the it's a love story to old school cult horror. That being said, it is incredibly boring. The script leaves much to be desired and the performances were weak. Some will like it, most will not.