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What’s the what, Streamers! Netflix has a robust slate of new releases at the end of this year, which includes the new movie directed by David Fincher, The Killer. David Fincher has made some really amazing films that are meticulously controlled and brimming with suspense like Se7en, Zodiac, and The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo. After his foray into prestige, biopic territory with Mank, it is good to see Fincher return to this pure genre exercise. Here’s how it went.Based on a French graphic novel, The Killer follows the story of an assassin (Michael Fassbender) who makes a fateful mistake on a job that leads to an international race to clean up the mess the only way he knows how. The Killer spouts his philosophy on doing his job, but it all seems to unravel minute by minute. As things crumble in successive vignettes, The Killer has to maintain control as best he can. Bloody, bloody, heavily-narrated hijinks ensue.Well, to be generous, The Killer is deliberately paced. Okay, it is very slow. Fincher has made the choice to build tension by very slowly unfurling this story. There is so much narration by the main character that it becomes oppressive. It’s a good way to get us inside the mind of this unreadable, unknowable man, but it is exhausting and borders on boring. It takes a while for the action of this “Action” movie to kick in, but it might be too little, too late when it does. There is one epic fight sequence that would almost be worth the price of admission, but it comes very late in the film. Beyond that, the Killer uses some interesting and chuckle-worthy aliases on his various travels. Fincher has his typical, cool aesthetic that makes the movie look very slick. I think trimming this movie about 30 minutes would have made it a much more engrossing and vital suspense thriller.Side note: Tilda Swinton comes in for one scene and kills it as usual.Ultimately, The Killer is very slow and there’s not enough story to justify the runtime. This movie should have been cut down by 30 minutes. Fincher is a master of suspense and has a cool aesthetic, but overall, this film is too slow and boring except for one intense fight sequence. I’m bummed to give this is only a handful of popcorn because Fincher movies are typically a favorite of mine.

Hey, Streamers! As holiday and awards seasons approach, the theaters will be overflowing with new releases. We've been seeing the trailer for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes for months now. It is a prequel to The Hunger Games movies that starred Jennifer Lawrence. Now, we get to see how the world that Katniss revolutionized came to be. Here's whether this prequel proves its **** Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes takes place 64 years prior to the action of the original The Hunger Games movie just before the 10th Hunger Games is about to begin. Our main character is Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth), a bright, ambitious young man determined to win a cash prize that will help him restore his family's stature in the Capitol. Snow becomes one of the first set of mentors for the 24 tributes for the 10th Hunger Games. Snow also comes up with a plan to revitalize the Games and provides counsel to the head game maker, Dr. Volumnia Gaul (Viola Davis). Meanwhile, Snow is assigned the feisty tribute for District 12 Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler). Lucy Gray has a magnetic personality and a beautiful singing voice. Snow uses his ingenuity to help Lucy Gray try to survive the Games. Singing, snakes, and child-murdering hijinks **** Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes like its title is too long and a bit convoluted. At 2 hours 27 minutes, this movie really could have used a trim. In fact, while the story is told in 3 chapters, it is pretty distinctly 2 movies. There is about an hour and 15 minutes that feels out of place. Despite that, this movie is never boring. There is so much going on that your attention will be held for the entire **** cast will hold your attention. Even though I don't think she is that good an actress, Rachel Zegler makes you care about Lucy Gray. Moreover, she is beautiful singer. She gets to do a lot of it in this movie. The songs aren't great, but her voice is beyond. Tom Blyth does a good job as Snow as well, but it is the supporting cast that overshadows the two leads. Viola Davis is doing the absolute most in this movie and I am here for it. She relishes every moment of screen time and when she is not on screen, you will be thinking about her. Davis is perfect here. Jason Schwartzman and Peter Dinklage also get to ham it up and add some spice to this movie. I could have used more of both. The production design and visual effects utilized throughout help to build the world of Panem. This dystopian era is portrayed very vividly. It is a feast for the eyes.Ultimately, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is a very entertaining movie. Even though it is too long, it is able to keep your attention with moving songs, a virtuoso performance by Viola Davis and great production values. You'll get your money's worth if you choose to go to the theater. Grab a big box a popcorn and return to the world of Panem.

Hey, Streamers! For those looking for something not so spooky in this "spooky" season, there are plenty of offerings on streaming services that might catch your eye. Netflix has some promising releases this month, one of which is the indie thriller, Fair Play. From a first-time writer/director, Chloe Domont, this movie explores gender politics in the workplace through the eyes of a young, ambitious couple. Here's how it **** Fair Play, Phoebe Dynevor plays Emily Meyers, an analyst at a fast-paced New York hedge fund, who is in a clandestine relationship with a co-worker, Luke Edmunds played by Alden Ehrenreich. The couple makes a concerted effort to keep their relationship secret at work despite the fact that they are living together and newly engaged. When a promotion to a manager position becomes available, Emily overhears that Luke is being considered for the position and shares the office gossip with him. However, when Luke gets passed over for position, the relationship between Luke and Emily is tested. Gender dynamics and stockbroking hijinks ensue.Chloe Domont has written sharp and incisive movie. She has written really interesting characters and placed them in a complicated situation that could be universally experienced. Emily and Luke work in a high-powered, high dollar, fast-paced world of finance, but they could be in any career field and go through the same challenges. Domont has directed this movie, which is really just a relationship drama, to be like a taut thriller. It will get your heartrate up. There is genuine suspense as to what will happen at the job and in the relationship. This is an outstanding debut film.Furthermore, Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich are fantastic. They have great individual moments and they are so good together. The tension in the relationship is palpable. There's enough sexual energy to understand why these characters would be together, and they each have a sense of naked ambition that fuels the engine of the plot.Ultimately, Fair Play may be mischaracterized as a thriller, but that doesn't mean it isn't thrilling. This movie is an outstanding relationship drama brought to us by a promising writer/director. There is not a wasted moment and each scene further pulls you in. Grab a big box of popcorn and enjoy!

Hey, Streamers! There are slim pickings at the theaters this weekend. If you’ve already had your share of the scary movies and you are not clamoring to see Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour on the big screen, then maybe you should find something to good to watch at home. Luckily, Prime Video has a new release called The Burial starring Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones just for you. Inspired by true events, The Burial is a legal drama about a contract dispute between a small business owner and the big corporation attempting to put him out of business. Tommy Lee Jones plays Jerry O’Keefe, who owns 8 funeral homes and a burial insurance company in Alabama. O’Keefe made some poor financial decisions which leaves his businesses in jeopardy. O’Keefe makes a deal with the Loewen Group, owned by Raymond Loewen (Bill Camp), to sell 3 funeral homes in order to rescue the rest of his business from ruin and have a legacy to pass on to his children. When the deal goes bad, O’Keefe seeks out the legal expertise of Willie E. Gary (Jamie Foxx), who has earned a reputation as a flashy Johnnie Cochran-type attorney, to represent him in this otherwise simple legal dispute. Of course, nothing is as simple as it seems and with Willie Gary at the helm of the case anything can happen. Legal maneuvering and courtroom hijinks ensue.Pure and simple, The Burial is a delight. Courtroom dramas are a dime a dozen, and there isn’t much one can do to set them apart from each other. Yes, these movies have similar beats no matter what the case is. I can’t say this movie contributes anything new to the structure of your common legal drama. Nevertheless, The Burial does what it does very well. It is entertaining, funny, and inspirational. The movie has the benefit of being a David versus Goliath story with instantly likeable main characters. Moreover, the movie attempts to broaden the scope of this trial beyond just O’Keefe and Loewen, which is both surprising and poignant.Jamie Foxx. Jamie Foxx. Jamie Foxx. Watch this movie and tell me Jamie Foxx is not a national treasure. He is so good as Willie Gary. He is flashy and sensitive and has such a commanding presence. Between this and They Cloned Tyrone, Jamie Foxx is having a very strong year at the movies. The cast as a whole is great not just Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones, but also Jurnee Smollett, Mamoudou Athie, Alan Ruck and Amanda Warren. I will say though that Jurnee Smollett doesn’t get enough to do. She’s great in her scenes as the lead attorney for the Loewen Group, but I wanted to see more of her. She was really ready to go toe-to-toe with Foxx, but she doesn’t have enough screen time.There are definitely some corny moments – some very corny moments. The music selections seem a bit off at times as well, which doesn’t help. In an inspirational story like this, there doesn’t need to be the extra musical manipulation to make it work. You’ll roll your eyes at some lines and some needle drops, but the story is so engaging that you’ll forgive its shortcomings.Ultimately, The Burial is an outstanding, funny and poignant legal drama. Although there isn’t anything new added to the legal drama genre, the story itself is good enough to be engaging and entertaining. Jamie Foxx proves again that he’s a great, commanding actor. Grab a big box of popcorn and enjoy this one.

Hey, Streamers! I know it’s spooky season, but it’s also that time of year when “prestige” movies start to flood the theaters. There have been fall film festivals teeming with Oscar hopefuls that are now being released to the general public. One of this year’s most anticipated movies is Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, which is out in theaters this weekend and will be on AppleTV+ later this year. It’s a 3+-hour epic about another tragic, little-known true story from American history. Here’s how it went.Martin Scorsese directed and co-wrote Killers of the Flower Moon with Eric Roth based on the book of the same name. Apparently, the book focused more on the investigation in the 1920s by federal agents of the unsolved murders of multiple members of the Osage Nation but that’s just a small sliver of this film. Here, we follow Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo Dicaprio), a former servicemember, who returns to Oklahoma to work with his uncle, William “King” Hale (Robert Deniro). Ernest is like many other white men who have flocked to the area to mooch off of the Osage Nation due to the oil that was found on their land. Many of those white men married Osage women in order to gain access to their head rights. Ernest falls in love with an Osage woman, Molly (Lilly Gladstone), and marries her. Then Molly’s family begins to die one by one under mysterious circumstance. **** deeds and scheming hijinks ensue.Well, it is no wonder this film is over 3 hours since that synopsis barely scratches the surface of what’s going on in Killers of the Flower Moon. Scorsese attempts to whittle down a complicated, sprawling American tragedy into a digestible story about the tragedy in one Osage family. The elements that are there work really well, but there’s an ineffable thing that’s missing. It almost seems like these events needed longer to develop – maybe a movie wasn’t the right medium for this. On the other hand, if this movie wants to be a mystery, crime thriller, there is an element of suspense that’s missing. The film never really has the energy of thriller. There are definitely tense moments, but the runtime cannot sustain that tension.Nevertheless, the production values of this movie are top notch. The costumes of the 1920s people and the Osage tribe members are eclectic and interesting. The women have these beautiful blankets that are eye-catching wrapped around them in multiple scenes. The attention to detail is remarkable on both the clothing and in the sets. The cast is very good as well especially in the first hour that establishes the relationship between Dicaprio and Gladstone. They have an uneasy chemistry that perfectly captures Ernest and Molly’s odd courtship. Their scenes together are both creepy and sometimes endearing. Gladstone brings stoic sensitivity to her character that becomes important to the action of the film. I only wish her decisions made more sense. She’s depicted with a lot of strength, but she doesn’t seem to have much agency. That was pretty frustrating. I’m not sure how Scorsese could have fixed that in the screenplay or in the **** a side note: Someone tell Brendan Fraser that the Academy called to say they want their Oscar back. Just put it outside your front door, and someone will be by to pick it up. It was supposed to be Colin Farrell’s anyway.Ultimately, Killers of the Flower Moon is another great movie in Martin Scorsese’s filmography. However, you must be prepared to strap in for its excessive runtime, but the movie holds your attention for the most part. This compelling story of an American tragedy is told very well with good performances and great attention to detail but it still feels like some pieces are missing. Just a bowl of popcorn at a matinee – actually, multiple bowls will be necessary to get through this epic.

Welcome back, Streamers! This week in unnecessary sequels: Netflix released the sequel to the wildly popular 2018 film Bird Box called Bird Box: Barcelona. I didn’t know anyone wanted this sequel, but here we have it anyway. As a refresher, Bird Box starred Sandra Bullock in a post-apocalyptic time when mysterious creatures cause people to commit suicide after the person has looked at them. Therefore, in order to survive, one must either remain indoors in a place without windows or blindfold themselves when they venture outdoors. Bird Box: Barcelona has two main differences. It’s set in Spain, and the main character, Sebastian (Mario Casas), has a secret darker than the blindfold he wears. Marco-Polo-like hijinks ensue. Okay, let’s cut to the chase: Bird Box wasn’t good in the first place. Am I right? Fast forward a few years, and now we have this sequel that’s almost as equally just okay. The saving grace of this film is the switched perspective of the main character. In Bird Box, we are automatically on Sandra Bullock’s side because she’s Sandra Bullock and she’s trying to get to safety with some young kids. Here, Sebastian is more mysterious, and his motivations are not initially clear. This change is what makes Bird Box: Barcelona seem like less of just a retread and more of a level up. In fact, this movie feels like a higher level in a Bird Box videogame where new rules, new villains, and a better setting is revealed. If you remember the original, then you’ll pick up on some key differences early on. Also, While Barcelona is a great setting for this sequel, it is not made very distinctive in this movie. It could be any old European city, which is good as they are creepy, but it’s not specific to Barcelona enough. Nevertheless, the setting is vast and the horror of the situation is depicted throughout the city as it is littered with bodies and destruction. There is action, but there are really only two chase scenes that are entertaining. Honestly, it is a ridiculous premise that you have to buy into or everything about this movie is dumb. Also, it’s not scary in anyway, which is not a good thing for a supposed horror movie or even a thriller. Nevertheless, I will say that since it is in Spanish for a majority of the time, it feels less stupid and more mysterious and entertaining. Note: If you haven’t seen the original since 2018, I suggest not watching it or refreshing your memory about it prior to watching Bird Box: Barcelona. This sequel will be more surprising and engrossing without the refresher. Ultimately, Bird Box: Barcelona sticks with the same ridiculous premise of Bird Box, but the changed perspective of the main character makes the effort worthwhile. The setting is also a big plus for this sequel even if it doesn’t feel unique to Barcelona. There is decent action, but there aren’t really any memorable scares. If you can continue to suspend disbelief with this sequel, then you should enjoy this movie enough for a bowl of popcorn.

Hey, Streamers! It’s that time of year when Tom Cruise returns to theaters to save cinema. Last year, he flew in with the fighter pilots in Top Gun: Maverick and brought people back to the theaters. This year, Cruise brings back the superspies with a new addition to the Mission: Impossible franchise, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1. He’s determined to up the ante on stunts and spectacle. Here’s whether this cliff-jumping action flick is worth the price of admission. In Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1, as in every other M:I movie, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team accept an “impossible” mission to thwart an attempt by some evil entity to obtain an existentially dangerous weapon. In this episode, that dangerous weapon is a mysterious, all-knowing AI called “the Entity.” In their quest to destroy the Entity, Ethan and his cohorts realize that successfully completing this mission may cost the lives of those closest to them. Mask-ripping, globe-hopping, and cliff-jumping, but no couch-jumping *wink* hijinks ensue. Spoiler Alert: this movie is an absolute must-see on the big screen. Go grab your big box of popcorn and enjoy 2 and a half hours of superspy missions and increasingly insane stunts. Period. Now that I’ve gotten that out of my system, my biggest qualm with this movie is the length. Although I was entertained throughout the entire runtime, I still can’t say that 2 and a half hours was absolutely necessary. There is one boring scene near the beginning where a bunch of side characters discuss the terrifying abilities of the AI. This scene needs to be edited down. There is another scene later in the movie where Ethan, Luther (Ving Rhames) and Benji (Simon Pegg) explain the IMF to the new addition to the crew, Grace (Hayley Atwell), which is tedious but ultimately necessary. Nevertheless, the momentum of the movie doesn't grinds to a halt such that you’d be checking your watch. My other minor issues are 1.) the character Hayley Atwell plays does things that make no sense. I like her as a new player in the M:I game, but she’s very frustrating throughout; 2.) the “plot” of M:I movies are so generic. Literally, every episode is the same. Formula = x villain is trying to get y weapon to destroy or take over z + Ethan and crew go all over the world to stop it. Luckily, Christopher McQuarrie, who directed this one, Fallout and Rogue Nation, and Tom Cruise have figured out practical, high-wire stunts that inject energy into each sequel. They have to exceed what they’ve done before, and they’ve succeeded in making a very entertaining action thriller. There are truly awe-inspiring stunts and spectacles done in Dead Reckoning that justify its existence as the seventh film in this 27 year old franchise. Side Note: at one point, I was literally digging my fingernails into the armrests. Talk about thrilling!

Welcome back, Streamers! The most anticipated movie weekend of 2023 is here. It's Barbenheimer. If you haven't followed it, there's this ridiculous internet debate over which film will reign supreme between Greta Gerwig's Barbie and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer... In this corner, coming in at 11.5 inches, it's the iconic, blonde fashion doll, Barbie. Barbie is the first live-action film about the American icon and her place in culture. Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach wrote a screenplay, which Gerwig directs, that takes audiences into Barbieland, where we meet stereotypical Barbie (Marot Robbie) and her fellow Barbies living their perfect existences until one day stereotypical Barbie starts to think constantly about death, her feet become flat and other things are off. Barbie has to make a trek to the real world to find out why things have changed for her and to set them straight. Barbie is accompanied by Ken (Ryan Gosling), whose existence is so dependent upon Barbie that he only has a good day if Barbie looks at him. Rollerblading, hot pink singing and dancing hijinks ensue. Overall, Barbie is a weird and wonderful movie. It is clear that a lot of thought and money went into creating this story and world inhabited by Barbie. You will be awed by the clever production design and the intense attention to detail that went into constructing Barbieland. The colors pop. There are cute animated touches throughout. Additionally, the costume design enhances each Barbie and Ken in interesting ways. You'll also notice the music throughout the film is sometimes poignant and sometimes hilarious, especially when it involves the Kens. From top to bottom, the crafts in this movie are top notch and worthy of a trip to the big screen. The cast, especially Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, are excellent. Robbie brings sensitivity and heart to Barbie. She's thoughtful and kind while also being naive and troubled by her own existence. It is a tricky performance to pull off and Robbie is great. Ken is an iconic performance for Gosling. He pulls out all of the stops to bring Ken to life. I can't imagine another actor being as successful in this role. Gosling is a really gifted comedic actor as evidenced by this performance. I'll also note that Kate McKinnon, American Ferrar, Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Michael Cera and Issa Rae each have good moments as well. It's a big cast, but some of the smaller roles do get chances to shine. The main issue is that the messaging is so heavy-handed. There is a lot to unpack about Barbie's place in society. What does she represent to women and girls? What does she represent to men? There are themes of feminism, patriarchy, and corporate greed. The film does its best to address its issues in a clever and subversive way, but it veers into becoming patronizing at times rather than funny and satirical. The performances of the actors really carry the film across the finish line despite how it handles its themes. Ultimately, Barbie is a movie worthy of a trip to the theater. It is funny and even clever at times. The messaging of the movie gets heavy-handed and some of the subversive fun is lost in those moments. Nevertheless, Gosling and Robbie fully commit to their characters as does the large ensemble; and the production design and music are top notch. You won't be disappointed with a big box of popcorn. You decide if you want to wear hot pink like everyone else.

Welcome back, dreamers and streamers! This weekend we were able to watch Peter Pan and Wendy from Disney+. Based on J. M. Barrie’s novel Peter and Wendy and inspired by the 1953 animated classic, Peter Pan and Wendy is the timeless tale of a young girl who, defying her parents’ wishes to attend boarding school, travels with her two younger brothers to the magical Neverland. There, she meets a boy who refuses to grow up, a tiny fairy and an evil pirate captain, and they soon find themselves on a thrilling and dangerous adventure far, far away from their family and the comforts of home. Disney really knows how to make animated movies come to life. I mean, can you all be any more magical? Enough is enough, but also keep it up. It’s so much so that I’m shocked that this didn’t even have a short run in the theaters. Yes, this story is played out, but this version is just begging to be seen on the big screen. From the landscapes to the flying and even the transformation of Jude Law into Capt. Hook, Disney really just out does themselves. Disney has a blueprint in how you make viewers care about what’s happening on the screen. The storytelling is vivid and deep in this movie. Now, there is one random character in this movie that I’m still confused about. I have no clue why she is in the movie. It was very weird and almost like they said let’s hit some diversity points with this one. But for real, if other people that are adults live on Neverland doesn’t that destory the whole point of the Neverland story? I’m just so confused. Honestly, that’s me stretching to find something wrong with this streaming feature film. At the end of the day, Peter Pan and Wendy is a good coming of age flick on Disney+. The movie is full of imagination, wonder and nostalgia but infuses current cultural values. The characters have depth that isn’t really existent in other Peter Pan iterations. The movie is fun and deep at the same time. Definitely a family flick that should be seen especially for those with kids who are a bit afraid to grow up. Grab a big box of popcorn and bangarang!

Hey, Streamers! The Grand Jury Prize winner at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival recently opened in theaters. It is called A Thousand and One and stars Teyana Taylor as Inez, a determined mother who kidnaps her son, Terry, from the foster care system in New York. Inez moves Terry with her to Harlem, changes his name, and sets up a life avoiding trouble except for the changes of New York City in the 1990s. Inez and Terry rebuild their relationship and attempt to live a quiet life in order to avoid getting caught. Mother and son hijinks ensue. A Thousand and One was written and directed by A. V. Rockwell. Rockwell has a really strong point of view as it juggles themes like motherhood, family, and even gentrification. It is a remarkable feature film debut from Rockwell, and I understand why it won the Grand Jury Prize. The plot could easily be a relegated to a TV movie, but it is elevated above that by the work of Rockwell. Additionally, Teyana Taylor's performance is powerful and supported by the really great script. In fact, Taylor has a role that feels tailor-made for her. She is very good at projecting the fierce loyalty and protectiveness of her character, Inez. She has surprisingly emotional scenes especially with the young actors that play Terry. Taylor is incredibly compelling throughout. I guess the only pitfall of the movie is that plot machinations tend to get in the way of the compelling character drama, which veer more into that TV movie territory. At a certain point, things start to occur that feel inevitable but not necessarily organic to the story. Nevertheless, it always remains engaging and emotional. As a side note: Teyana Taylor and Josiah Cross, who plays Terry at 17, could be the same age. That felt weird to me. Ultimately, A Thousand and One is an impactful and emotionally engaging movie. It has a strong central performance by Teyana Taylor. A. V. Rockwell has done a great job writing and directing this movie. I can't say it's a must-see on the big screen, but if it is in your area, you should definitely check it out at a matinee with a bowl of popcorn.

Welcome back, Streamers, to this quantum realm version of Stream To Big Screen! This weekend Marvel released its third film on the little hero with a big heart, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. And, child, there is some mania going on here. If you've missed the previous two Ant-Man movies, this edition follows up with Scott Lang (Paul Rudd/Ant-Man) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly, The Wasp), along with Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer), as they are forced to explore the Quantum Realm again. This time they find it's not as barren as previously thought, and they end up interacting with strange creatures and embarking on an adventure that goes beyond the limits of what they previously thought was possible. Oh yeah, they run into Kang the Conqueror as well. Let's see how it goes. Needless to say, but I'll say it anyway, this is an MCU movie and it obviously should be viewed on a big screen. How much should we pay for that is the question? Here, we're on the back of two successful movies, even if not primary characters of the MCU. The most successful parts of the movie are the CGI, created characters and general realm. The small package delivers big time with those features. Honestly, if you go to Avatar just for the visuals, Quantamania definitely can can follow suit. We've seen space creatures previously in the MCU but they took it up in imagination for this one. Next to that, you know from the Ant-man genre, they are going to bring the laughs. Here there are definitely a few good laughs, but unfortunately, some moments meant to be laughs just felt corny. Even worse was the fact that they kept harping on one particular joke until the end and it never really worked from the beginning. To this point, I felt the movie lost a bit of its heart or character. It felt more like another MCU-movie instead of an Ant-Man movie. We miss you Michael Pena and TI! Anyway, that issue might also have been due to wrong edits selected or what I felt was a rushed storyline. The movie overall didn't feel rushed but something about the pacing just made it feel thrown together. Was I unprepared or were they? Who knows, but I kept feeling it. Nevertheless, the cast as a whole were very good, even the annoying daughter who unfortunately we're likely to see more of based on the thought of a Young Avengers movie coming to us in the years to come. Long story short, Ant-Man and the The Wasp: Quantamania is a solid and visually stunning movie with a rushed set up that makes the plot a bit average. Viewers will be fully entertained either by action or by the corny comedy but won't be truly wowed by the film compared to other movies in the universe. The MCU is falling victim to the Netflix virus, too much content too soon. The movie is enjoyable, but it felt like it was missing some of the previous movies' heart. Obviously, see this on the big screen at any price, but you'll be glad you saved a few bucks with the matinee.

Hey, Streamers! It’s mid-February, and it seems you either watch romantic comedies or you’re anticipating the Big Game. For those who aren’t into the latter, here’s some more counterprogramming courtesy of Prime Video and the minds of Dave Franco and Alison Brie, Somebody I Used to Know. It’s a “romantic” comedy involving wedding shenanigans, which we all love. Am I right??? Here’s whether you should know this somebody. Dave Franco directs the screenplay he wrote with his wife and the movie’s star, Alison Brie. Somebody I Used to Know takes place over a few days in Leavenworth, Washington when Ally (Brie) returns to her mother’s home after her reality television show was canceled. While in town on day one, Ally predictably runs into her old flame, Sean (Jay Ellis), after ten years; and they seem to pick up right where they left off. Sean, of course, is hiding the big news of his impending wedding, which leads Ally to go full-on Julianne Potter (My Best Friend’s Wedding reference). Wedding sabotage hijinks ensue. This storyline is so tiresome. How many times do we have to see a woman, usually, attempt to sabotage her ex’s wedding? Why would anyone think that’s going to turn out good for you in the end? Why would you even want someone who was easily manipulated by you? Is that satisfying? I have so many questions for this played-out genre. Now, Somebody I Used to Know steps right into all of the problems with this genre of romantic comedy. It is predictable and unoriginal. In fact, it borrows so heavily from My Best Friend’s Wedding that I am now wondering if that was Franco and Brie’s objective. It is a shame that this movie feels so derivative because Alison Brie is generally a likeable screen presence. You can easily root for the characters she plays, even someone who is being so manipulative. The one good thing that Franco and Brie have added to this movie is a theme about self-empowerment. The screenplay revisits ideas about making oneself happy, and it is impactful at times. I wish those ideas had been more in the forefront than the wedding sabotage. There really isn’t much else here. There’s a nice sing-along to look forward to. Haley Joel Osment and Danny Pudi get some good moments, but Osment, in particular, is so unnecessary. That’s all really. Eh. *Shrug* Ultimately, Somebody I Used to Know is fine but too derivative, unoriginal and predictable to really be interesting. While the movie hints at other meaningful themes, it settles with the cliches of wedding sabotage movies to be its driving force. That’s pretty disappointing. Alison Brie is a pleasant on-screen presence and Haley Joel Osment gets some daffy moments. I’d only suggest a handful of popcorn for this if you need something to fill the time while waiting for Rihanna’s halftime show.

It’s the season for love, Streamers! There are romantic comedies galore – on the streaming sites, at least; and, the theaters are pretty barren. If you are looking for something love-related to watch from home, Jennifer Lopez has a new film on Prime Video called Shotgun Wedding, which premiered two weeks ago. It seems the time would be right for romance, action and pirates. Anyway, here comes the bride and the movie she rode in on. Shotgun Wedding takes place during the destination wedding of Darcy (Lopez) and Tom (Josh Duhamel). They are a long-time couple who are finally getting married in the Philippines. There is some tension on the night before the wedding for a myriad of reasons: Tom is a “groomzilla”; Darcy’s parents (Sonia Braga and Cheech Marin) hate each other; Tom’s mother (Jennifer Coolidge) is annoying Darcy; and Darcy’s father has invited her ex (Lenny Kravitz). All of these things come to a head when the wedding guests are taken hostage by pirates, and the bride and groom have to band together to rescue their family and friends. High-octane nuptial hijinks ensue. You know how Jennifer Lopez seems to keep making the same movie over and over again. Well, here we are. That doesn’t mean Shotgun Wedding isn’t enjoyable. It’s just not particularly creative. It’s funny enough. Lopez and Duhamel have good chemistry and they are able to lean into the silliness of this premise. Lopez looks great at every turn. Even though she is trekking through the jungle, her hair, makeup and wardrobe only slightly suggest that there’s any effort to outrunning pirates in the Philippines. Of course, it’s unrealistic, but did you really come here for realism? Additionally, Jennifer Coolidge is a reliable comedy weirdo. She does just what you hope she will do here. She’s a scene-stealer and the scenes get stolen. The rest of the cast is fine, but Coolidge outshines everyone. The action is decent. There are explosions and at least one oddly gruesome death for a movie like this. The tension keeps you engaged for the entire film. I wouldn’t call this movie relentless, but it fills the roughly 90-minute runtime sufficiently. It moves at a quick pace from sequence to sequence, and even though you know where this movie is going, it still remains entertaining. Overall, Shotgun Wedding is a nice film to watch on a date night in. It is funny enough, has decent action, and has a quick pace. Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel are an appealing couple while Jennifer Coolidge adds spice to every scene, she’s in. Grab a bowl of popcorn and curl up with your honey this weekend.

Hey, Streamers! Just in time for *wink* “The Big Game” *wink* next week, a new sports movie rushes its way into theaters. While the newly-re-retired Tom Brady will not be making another appearance at *wink* “The Big Game” *wink*, he does loom large on *wink* The Big Screen *wink*. (See what I did there!?!?) Anyway, Tom’s retired contemporaries are celebrating their obsession for him in 80 for Brady. Here’s how these golden girls tackled it. 80 for Brady is inspired by a true story about four friends who got together weekly to watch their favorite quarterback dominate while he was on the New England Patriots. In the movie, it’s 2017 and Lou (Lily Tomlin), Trish (Jane Fonda), Betty (Sally Field) and Maura (Rita Moreno) get together every week to watch football, specifically Tom Brady. As the Patriots win the AFC Championship that year, Lou decides that they should make the trip to *wink* “The Big Game” *wink* because neither they nor Tom are getting any younger. Despite the high cost, the friends concoct a scheme to make their “life-long” dream come true. Geriatric hijinks ensue. Look, I was in the tank for this movie from the first trailer. Tomlin, Fonda, Field and Moreno are acting legends and many times they are the best parts of whatever movie or TV show they’re in. All of them together was bound to be a homerun – I know, wrong sport. They do not disappoint. Each one gets a chance to shine with good comedic and tender moments. They all are bringing effervescence and fun. They are believable as friends, and they can spin gold, or at least silver, out of what could be subpar comedy. Outside of this core four, there are other notable appearances by Glynn Turman, Billy Porter and Bob Balaban, who make the most of small roles. If it weren’t for the ladies of Brady, this movie would have been a fumble – see, I got that one. The story is predictable. The motivation for going to the game is easily guessed. The mode of getting to the game is pretty obvious. We already know the outcome of the game, so that’s no surprise. All of the plotting would be boring but for the stellar ensemble. Additionally, these jokes and situations can get corny, with a capital “C.” Some of these set ups you can see coming from a mile away, which is why this movie needed 3 Oscar winners and a comedy legend to sell it. They absolutely sold the hijinks and zaniness of the situation. Moreover, luckily, nothing is too embarrassing or cringy, so generally even the corny stuff is funny. It all leads to a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Aside: I will note that Tom Brady has a few acting moments that made be think, “Stick to your day job, sir.” Ultimately, 80 for Brady is a very cute and fun movie. It has an excellent ensemble of legendary actresses who are selling the good time. If you are a fan of these ladies, then you will have a great time from beginning to end, but really, the story is pretty basic and can be corny. This comedy is the epitome **** time at a matinee with a bowl of popcorn, then shuffle over to your early bird dinner.

Okay, Streamers, I know we all have been waiting on pins and needles for M. Night Shyamalan’s next feature film, and it’s finally here. Oh, was that only me? Okay, then… Anway, I was anticipating Knock at the Cabin since I saw the first trailer last fall. Home invasion and the end of the world movies build on reasonable fears that many people have, so let’s see what Shyamalan was able to do with the mix of these two. Knock at the Cabin is based on a novel by Paul Tremblay, “The Cabin at the End of the World.” Shyamalan and his co-writers have adapted that novel into this movie. The basic premise is that a gay couple and their adopted daughter are on a vacation in a remote cabin in Pennsylvania when four strangers come to the cabin and tell them that the world will end unless they decide to sacrifice one of their own. It’s a moral dilemma – kill someone you love in order to save billions of people you don’t even know. What would you do if these hijinks ensue. Here’s the thing – the premise of this movie is very interesting. It immediately makes the audience question what decision they would make and what questions they would ask if put in this situation. In that way, the movie easily grabs you. The problem is that Shyamalan doesn’t do much more than pose the question and go through the motions of telling you what these guys do. It gets repetitive and there isn’t enough development of the gay couple as characters to help the audience care about them or why they make the decisions they make. Therefore, the movie becomes pretty frustrating and unsatisfying. On the other hand, there are some good aspects. Dave Bautista, who plays one of the strangers, Leonard, is an inviting presence on screen. He can be menacing by his sheer size, but his performance ably fights against first impressions. Rupert Grint, who play another stranger, Redmond, brings a bit of dark humor. He’s probably the scariest of the strangers. I’ll also mention that even though I don’t believe they are well-developed characters, Ben Aldridge and Jonathan Groff, who play the gay couple, Eric and Andrew, have good chemistry and react appropriately in this situation. I’ll also say that no one does anything really dumb in this movie, which typically happens in these home invasion movies. Eric and Andrew, generally, make smart decisions to help protect each other and their daughter. So, the movie isn’t frustrating because anyone is dumb. I also don’t know why this movie is rated R. There isn’t really any gore. There isn’t anything visually scary about it. There may be some curse words, but I can’t imagine they were enough to justify this not being PG-13. In conclusion, Knock at the Cabin is a decent entry in the Shyamalan filmography. It is not one of his best, but it also certainly not one of the worst. There is a good premise, but the movie doesn’t do anything more than present it as a morality play, which eventually becomes repetitive. Although there are good performances, there isn’t enough character development to sustain interest in these individuals. Knock at the Cabin is only good enough for a handful of popcorn – there’s no urgency to see this in a theater.

Welcome back, Streamers. Let’s start the year off awkward yet cultured with You People. Because you people just don’t get it sometimes. Either way, this Netflix flick follows a new couple and their families, who find themselves examining modern love and family dynamics amidst clashing cultures, societal expectations and generational differences. Let’s see how it goes. First off, JONAH HILL DOES NOT LOOK LIKE A 35 YEAR OLD?! If he’s 35, then I probably look horrible out here! Nevertheless, the cast of this movie is so extensive and hilarious. Let’s start with Eddie being raw Eddie again. Sam Jay during the podcast is real and funny. Mike Epps in his limited time made me spit out my highball a couple times. The cast other than being funny are just as awkward as they are supposed to be. Julia Louis Dreyfus can’t get anymore awkward white mom and the rest of the cast pulls their same weight. Jonah Hill is the only one who feels mostly miscast in this role. I feel like there’s a swagger necessary this white guy couldn’t pull off in this role. I mean I know Robin Thicke isn’t doing anything right now. Joking but seriously, just something about Lauren and Jonah just doesn’t fit. It doesn’t ruin the movie because he’s pretty funny but where’s the Shabby Hanks kind of guy for this role. I laughed as I wrote that. Either way, the cast is definitely what holds this movie together. Just to be honest, the movie is awkward and stressful. Now, that’s exactly what Kenya Barris is going for with this movie. In a way, this movie succeeds to exactly the way “Black-ish” and “Black AF” did. Barris has a way of forcing a narrative upon a show or movie and it just makes the movie awkward. There are times when things are going well and we’re laughing and tense due to the race relations but then there’s just super-forced, awkward scenes where someone would never say all of those things at once. You might get a couple but not the full spectrum of clueless white person back-to-back-to-back or militant black person back-to-back-to-back. Now, that’s where this movie becomes more like a “Black AF” rather than a “Black-ish”, which clearly means one has 8 seasons and “Black AF” should definitely never have a second season. Now, I’d actually definitely watch a first year of marriage sequel to You People, but I’d also be afraid Kenya might overdo it with his flavor as well. I’d have the fear that the movie just makes it too awkward and whiny like “Black AF” instead of funny and heartfelt like “Black-ish”. At the end of the day, just like race relations in this country and world, there are problems. You People is a good clever romantic comedy that hinges on interracial relations in the world. While a few parts feel forced and awkward, like Kenya Barris, the rest feels like love and hilarity. Driven by a big cast and extended ensemble of minor characters, You People gets the point across. As a streaming option, you’d definitely find worse but not too many better. Grab a bowl of popcorn and flip over to Netflix when you get a chance to sit in a romantic tense situation with some good laughs. Run the Marathon with this one… that’s for you NIPSEY!

Hey, Streamers! January seems to be the month where studios dump their leftovers and audiences have to **** the bottom of the barrel for something worthwhile to watch. When I was not toiling away in the gym trying to stick to that New Year’s Resolution, I ventured to the box office to see if this Tom Hanks flick was worth the price of admission. Who doesn’t like a grumpy old man being grumpy for two hours, right?!?! Anyway, A Man Called Otto got my attention, and here’ how it went. A Man Called Otto is a based on a book by Fredrik Backman titled A Man Called Ove, which was turned into a Swedish film of the same name in 2015. Here, Marc Forster directs Tom Hanks as Otto, a curmudgeonly widower, who is fed up with everything, his neighbors, his neighborhood, his life. Everyone is moving on as things change around Otto, and he’s making some drastic choices about his life. When new neighbors, Marisol (Mariana Trevino), Tommy (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) and their children, move in across the street, Otto gets pulled into their orbit and maybe begins to see new possibilities in life. Does his cold heart start to melt? You tell me. Grouchy hijinks ensue. Tom Hanks slips into grumpy, grandpa mode to play Otto. He’s pretty good as usual. There isn’t much to Otto except that he’s unpleasant and kind of like the “Karen” of his neighborhood. There is a palpable sadness to the character that Hanks portrays. It isn’t until Mariana Trevino’s Marisol engages with Otto that the movie starts to come alive. Trevino is a force of nature and such a warm and inviting presence. It is no wonder Otto can’t resist her. The rest of the ensemble also begins to gel as well and shows how a neighborhood become a tight community. The emotions of the movie get heightened and really pull the audience in. The film is too long. It could probably be 15-20 minutes shorter. It gets repetitive and I don’t think that the repetition adds anything to the story. There are also flashback sequences throughout that show the life of Otto and his wife, Sonya, that are illuminating but become intrusive. It is interesting to note that Truman Hanks, Tom’s son, plays the young Otto in the flashbacks. While the flashbacks are necessary to support the emotional resonance of the movie, I could have used less of them. A Man Called Otto is a nice family movie. It shows how being neighborly can impact the lives of the community. While the story gets repetitive and is predictable, it does hit emotional highs that make the movie satisfying overall especially because of the performances of Tom Hanks and Mariana Trevino. This movie is not the kind of film that is necessary to be seen on the big screen, so I’d suggest checking it out when it comes to streaming. A handful of popcorn is enough for this one.

What’s up, Streamers! It’s a slow weekend in January. There aren’t a lot of highly anticipated movies being released this month. I decided to catch a December released that I missed during the holiday season. I caught up with the Whitney Houston movie titled: Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody. I’m only expecting biopic tropes and a lot of Whitney songs. Here’s how it goes. I assume no synopsis of the Whitney Houston biopic is necessary. It’s a movie about Whitney Houston’s life – from her initial record deal to her untimely death. This isn’t the first movie that has told some part of this story, so there aren’t any surprises. Crack is whack and hijinks ensue. There really isn’t much to this movie. The biggest reason to see Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody is to hear all of the great songs and see a dynamic performance by Naomi Ackie. It’s not a special movie otherwise because it is a paint-by-numbers, run-of-the-mill biographical film about a music icon who has a drug problem and died too soon. Naomi Ackie gives a good performance. She is lip syncing to Whitney’s vocals most of the time, but she emotes through the songs pretty well. The recreation of the music videos is fun to see, and each needle drop reminds you of the power that Houston had in pop music. I will say that while the movie is too long it moves at a good pace. It isn’t boring, especially if you like the next song that plays, and it ends of a high note. Ultimately, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody is another in a long line of music biopics. It doesn’t do anything new with the genre or tell you anything that you probably didn’t already know about Whitney Houston. It does have great music that will have you singing along and dancing in the aisles. That may be enough for the Whitney Houston fans to grab a big box of popcorn. Everyone else can wait for this to stream at home.

Happy New Year, Streamers! We all want to do bigger and better things in the new year, right? Bring it on, 2023! Let’s start with the highly anticipated sci-fi, horror, thriller, M3GAN, which was released in theaters on January 6, 2023. I know you’ve seen the trailers and all the memes of the dancing, creepy robot doll. Now, the movie that inspired all of that virality is finally out. Let’s see if it lives up to the hype. The basic plot of M3GAN begins when Cady (Violet McGraw) comes to live with her aunt, Gemma (Allison Williams). Cady is mourning the death of her parents, and Gemma is ill-equipped to handle her emotionally fragile niece. Gemma is an engineer and toy designer working on increasingly advanced toys. Gemma has been working on a prototype for M3GAN (Model 3 Generative Android), and she uses M3GAN’s artificial intelligence technology to pair her as a personal companion and protector to Cady. Of course, deadly consequences and creepy hijinks ensue. M3GAN is very slow to get started. There is a lot of set up to get to the murderous doll on the loose, which is what we all came for. The movie takes its time to establish Gemma’s job, Gemma’s lack of personal life, Cady’s transition to living with Gemma, and Gemma’s difficulty fitting Cady into her life. It takes too long when all we really want in this demented doll to start creating mayhem. I didn’t time when that actually occurs, but I definitely was getting a bit restless. Honestly, we’ve seen this movie before so let’s just get to the action, okay?!? Secondly, the best parts of M3GAN are already revealed in the trailer. They are still good in the context of the movie, but they lose some potency and surprise because we’ve already seen them. Nevertheless, the visual effects are fun and the performance of Amie Donald, who physically portrays M3GAN, is really good. She moves in a creepy way and the dancing is hilarious. There are also some one liners delivered by M3GAN that are both funny and ridiculous. I only wish the movie overall was funnier. It’s a silly concept and it doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it is all very predictable, but never is it scary. Ultimately, M3GAN is a good time at the movies. If you’ve seen these movies where inanimate objects take on a demented life of their own, then you’ve seen this one before. However, there are interesting aspects like the visual effects, some lines and the performance of Amie McDonald – but it’s not scary, if that’s what you want. Since some of the best moments are spoiled by the trailers, I’d only suggest a matinee viewing to start off your weekend. Just a bow of popcorn is enough.

Hey, Streamers! I hope you had a good holiday and you're ready for some more awards hopefuls. I was able to get to a theater to catch The Whale. I've been hearing a lot about an awards-worthy performance and comeback from everyone's favorite man from Encino, Brendan Fraser. Here's whether the performance and the movie around it live up to the hype. (Spoiler Alert: It doesn't) Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, Requiem for a Dream) directed the The Whale, which is based on a play by the same person who wrote the screenplay, Samuel D. Hunter. Brendan Fraser plays Charlie, a 600-pound man who is attempting to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Ellie (Sadie Sink), in his final week of life. Charlie has one friend, Liz (Hong Chau), who provides some care for him but she also enables his worst impulses at times. Other characters pop in and out of Charlie's cloistered apartment as he fumbles through teaching an online writing course while binge-eating himself to death. A barrel of laughs ensues, he said sarcastically. The Whale desperately wants to be a tearjerker. Charlie is set up as a tragic figure, and the movie tells the audience that Charlie knocking on deaths door. Everything about this character says pity this man. The problem is that the movie is so overwrought that it leads towards the comical. The worst offense is the poor makeup job and fat suit that Brendan Fraser is encased it. On top of that, Brendan Fraser is doing the absolute most - and not in a good way - with his performance. He desperately wants that Oscar with the way he screams and cries throughout this melodramatic bore. Also, there is a bad performance by Sadie Sink as the angsty teenager. She is the worst person in the world, and Sink does nothing to humanize her. Both Charlie and Ellie become caricatures, which is ultimately very tiresome and off-putting. There really isn't much else to The Whale. It is a movie that is very obviously based on a play since it is stuck in one location and characters come in and out of the scene. This material may work better on the stage than on the big screen, but the screenplay is pretty bad. The obvious metaphor with Moby ****, which Charlie references constantly throughout, is so annoying that if you are not rolling your eyes by the end then you are better than me. The one saving grace is that Hong Chau shows up every now and then and does her best to bring some real life to the film. In the scenes with Chau and Fraser, there is good chemistry, and there is a glimpse of the heartfelt and sensitive film that could have been. Ultimately, The Whale is extremely melodramatic. Fraser goes for every Oscar clip he can and only lands a few when Chau is around. The fat suit is off-putting and Sadie Sink is bad throughout the movie. There is a small speck of a decent idea here, but not enough to make a trip to the theater worthwhile. Stream if bored, at best. One popped kernel.

It has been 13 years since the original Avatar became one of the highest grossing movies in history. It was a huge spectacle with a new planet, Pandora; indigenous people, the Na’vi; motion capture performances and a lot of never-before-seen technology. The plot was pretty basic, but the impact of the all the technical impacts made it more than the sum of its parts. Here, we are all these years later and finally the long-awaited sequel has been released. James Cameron has submerged us in the waters of Pandora for the first of many sequels called Avatar: The Way of Water. As a quick refresher, at the end of Avatar, Jake Sully, who was human in Avatar form, becomes part of the Na’vi. He’s fallen in love with Neytiri and her people. Years later, we find Jake Sully living a peaceful life with his family in the forests of Pandora, but the threat of the sky people’s return looms. Of course, that threat comes to destroy Jake’s family’s peace. Jake must work with Neytiri and the army of the Na’vi race to protect their home. Blue combat hijinks ensue. Now, everything about this movie screams big screen viewing. We have James Cameron, a long delay since the first movie, awesome tech and CGI, big fight scenes etc. This highly imaginative movie just lacks imagination. Yes, that seems contradictory to state, but it’s the best way to describe what’s going on here. For such a long delay for this sequel to come, Cameron and crew failed to use those years to expand upon the Avatar universe and tell a more interesting story. While we’re dealing with slightly new creatures that live in the water rather than the forest, the plot is basically the same as the original. The real question is whether the new technology that’s been developed and utilized in making The Way of Water makes this movie worthwhile. I’m fairly ambivalent about it. On one hand, the spectacle of the effects is truly stunning. The water is so blue and clear. The colors are dazzling. Your eyes can barely keep up because there is something new to see, it seems, in every frame. There are animals that we haven’t seen before that dominate the screen. Those animals have personalities of their own. The integration of real human performances with the motion capture performances is pretty seamless as well. There really isn’t anything wrong with the look of Avatar: The Way of Water. Also, when the action kicks into high gear 90 minutes into the movie, the tension and momentum take over and make the last 90 minutes sail by. On the other hand, when a movie is 3 hours long, it would be great for it to be at least a little unpredictable. It feels like every beat of the story is either a carbon copy of what happened in the original or it is a predictable extension of what’s to come. Furthermore, the obvious environmental theme is not very subtle. It is good that the filmmakers have a point of view and that this crazy, action spectacle has something to say about our world, but does it have to be so obvious? Really, 3 hours to tell this story??? No, sir! Not necessary. S2S: Official Rating Scale Ultimately, the wait for Avatar: The Way of Water was worth it. The technology and effects that are used to bring this movie to life are truly spectacular. The story itself is not as imaginative as the tools used to tell it. Also, you have to sacrifice 3 hours of your day to this. The movie should be seen on the big screen – that’s pretty obvious – but an early matinee should suffice. Get a bowl of popcorn and you might need another snack to tide you over.

I’m a reeeeeal movie! *Pinocchio classic voice* Welcome back Streamers. This week Netflix released Academy Award-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro’s reinvention of Carlo Collodi’s classic tale Pinocchio. As you know, the tale goes by a wooden puppet is magically brought to life in order to mend the heart **** woodcarver named Geppetto. Del Toro’s and Mark Gustafson stop-motion musical follows the mischievous and disobedient adventures of Pinocchio in his pursuit of a place in the world. Well let’s get to it. This is one of those simple reviews. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is beautiful, heartbreaking, and fun movie. So much so that it actually makes no sense why the movie wasn’t exclusively in the theaters. I mean this isn’t really a December/Christmas movie but it’s definitely one of those movies that just needs to sneak in before Award Season ends for the year. So what to say about Pinocchio. the stop animation is top notch, creative, and realistic at the same time. I mean just the typical for del Toro. This new version of Pinocchio brings the old story . With the storytelling and the voiceover work the movie gives the movie life. The innonnce and naivete of Pinocchio, the desperation and hope of Gepeto, the callous and unforgiving of Podesta and conveiving and cunning of Count Volpe just shoot of the screen. It’s easy to say that with the voice work **** cast of the likes of Christoph Waltz, Ron Perlman, David Bradley, and Gregory Mann in reverse order. Just to name a few because Ewan McGregor’s Cricket just sounded a bit too like himself to be believe able. ANy way, you need those type of performances when this is a long told story like Pinocchio. The imaginative artisty along with the voice work make this feature its own. Ultimately, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is a must-see movie. The animation is inventive and beautiful. While the Pinocchio story is basically the same, this movie zones in on the emotional connection between father and son and a desire to be a better human being. Make sure to have a big box of popcorn and a few tissues when you watch this on Netflix.

Happy Holidays, Streamers! It's that time of year when the movie landscape is crowded with holiday family movies and "prestige" pics. Those "prestige" pics are the ones attempting to garner enough attention to be considered for the Academy Awards. While The Fabelmans is a family drama, it definitely falls more into the "prestige" pic category. It's got everything: Michelle Williams actress-ing; Spielberg Spielberg-ing; coming-of-age tropes including a kid fascinated with a life making art. Oh! And a monkey, I can't forget the monkey. Here's how it went for me. The Fabelmans was directed by Steven Spielberg and co-written by Spielberg and Tony Kushner. There's a lot of prestigious people in mentioned in that sentence. Anyway, that talent sets the bar pretty high for this movie. The Fabelmans tells a semi-autobiographical story of Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle), a young, Jewish burgeoning film director and his family that happens to be coming apart at the seams. Sammy is introduced to the wonder of movies early and his parents unwittingly cultivate his obsession with motion pictures. Sammy's mother, Mitzi Fabelman (Michelle Williams), is a flighty, loving and passionate mother who sees herself as an artist and encourages Sammy's filmmaking efforts. Burt Fabelman (Paul Dano) is methodical and reasonable and sees Sammy's filmmaking as just a silly hobby. Sammy and his movies capture the highs and lows of his family through the 1950s and 1960s and give the audience insight into the foundation behind the film's director. Spielbergian hijinks ensue. That wasn't a great synopsis, but you get it. It's a coming-of-age story about a boy who wants to become a movie director and how that affects his family. It takes 2 and a half hours to tell this story? These coming-of-age stories can be a dime a dozen, but this one has the added layer of being told by and about the fictionalized family of one of the greatest living American directors. If you are into the Spielberg thing, then The Fabelmans should be catnip for you. If you don't really care about Steven Spielberg, then it may not be that interesting without that hook. Nevertheless, there are great moments throughout The Fabelmans. There are really interesting scenes of teenage Sammy filming and editing his low budget movies. He has some striking ingenuity in directing and adding effects to the early films. The movie tells a compelling story about the difference between capturing truth on film versus living it. There's a strong moral lesson to be learned from Sammy's singlemindedness in pursuing his art at all costs. Gabriel LaBelle does an excellent job of anchoring this movie as the main character. As for the parents, Paul Dano is very good as the mild-tempered and evenhanded Burt. Everything he does makes sense even when his family may be falling apart around him. On the other hand, Michelle Williams is all over the place, manic and grating. That may be the character that Spielberg has created, but it's also the over-the-top, scenery-chewing performance that Michelle Williams is giving. Ultimately, The Fabelmans is a good coming-of-age movie that hits some basic beats. It is elevated for those who are interested in the Steven Spielberg origin story. There are interesting parts about how the young man becomes a filmmaker, but if you don't care about that, then it's just another coming-of-age story to throw on the overflowing pile of them. For Spielberg fans, I say you'll be happy with a big box of popcorn if you venture to the theater. For everyone else, grab a bowl of popcorn for a matinee if you can't wait for it to show up on VOD or your favorite streaming channel.

Happy Thanksgiving, Streamers! I am thankful for another Benoit Blanc murder mystery opening in theaters today and dropping on Netflix in December. Yes, the world renown detective with the deep Southern drawl has been enlisted to solve another complicated murder in the sequel to Knives Out, called Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Everyone was clamoring for more Benoit Blanc, and Rian Johnson has delivered. Here's whether this knife is sharp enough. Once again, Rian Johnson has written and directed a murder mystery featuring Daniel Craig's brilliantly daffy detective, Benoit Blanc. Johnson elevates the whodunnit genre with smart comedy and intricate plot machinations. There is a sprawling ensemble that includes the following: Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Leslie Odom, Jr., Kathryn Hahn, Janelle Monae, and Dave Bautista - along with other surprises. They are a group of friends who are drawn together for a weekend getaway/murder mystery party; but, of course, when Blanc is mysteriously invited along what was supposed to be a fun time among friends reveals something more dangerous lurking beneath. Murder and crime solving hijinks ensue. If you liked Knives Out, you will like Glass Onion. Whodunnit movies can be kind of formulaic and become stale. Rian Johnson found a way to shake up the conventions of the genre in Knives Out to make it feel fresh. The freshness that worked so well before is back again in Glass Onion. Even though murder mysteries have to hit the same beats, this plot and this ensemble have a different energy and point of view that keep the movie engaging and surprising throughout. The one quibble I have is that the first hour takes a lot of time to set up the pieces and introduce the characters. It's not slow per se, because it's still cleverly written, but the plot takes a while to kick in. As for the cast, Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig have found a funny and compelling character in Benoit Blanc, which makes the centerpiece of these movies very entertaining. Craig has both the necessary gravitas for a believable crime-solver, but he's just off-kilter enough to be silly without being ridiculous. I'll note that Janelle Monae is a standout. She gets to play both her poise and her humor. I know that Janelle has been good in other movies like Moonlight and Hidden Figures, but I forget that she has real movie star presence on the big screen. The remainder of the ensemble have good interplay and funny quirks that make each scene pop. Edward Norton is always fun in comedies and Kate Hudson has perfected ditzy without being a caricature. Side note: The costumes throughout are great and perfectly enhance each character. There is one costume reveal of a certain character that is so funny maybe only cinephiles will notice. Ultimately, Glass Onion has recaptured the fun and clever ride that Knives Out was. Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc is still funny with his ridiculous Southern drawl. The plot and ensemble here are engaging and the twists make the whodunnit just complicated enough to keep the audience on its toes. If you can catch it in theater this weekend, get a big box of popcorn and enjoy the return of the Knives Out universe; otherwise, make Glass Onion a number one priority when it premieres on Netflix.

Bon appetit, Streamers! You never know when your next meal may be your last. Well, here we are a few days before the Thanksgiving meal in the U.S. feasting on some satirical and thrilling cinematic entertainment in The Menu. After watching this movie, you may think more critically about what and where you are eating. I ventured to the movie theater to enjoy what was promised to be a chilling dining experience. Here’s whether I was satisfied. The Menu has a simple plot that is overflowing with complicated themes and motivations. A group of wealthy patrons travel to an exclusive restaurant, Hawthorne, which is owned by renown chef, Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes), to have a coveted dining experience. Tyler (Nicholas Hoult) has invited a new girlfriend Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) to accompany him to enjoy what he believes will be a transcendent meal. Tyler is a “foodie” with a sophisticated palette, a deep admiration for Slowik, and a penchant for taking pics of his dishes. Margot is not as impressed with it all. The remainder of the guests are varying degrees of insufferable, and Julian barely contains his disgust for them despite his desire to deliver a memorable meal. Of course, things take a shocking turn. Lip smacking hijinks ensue. The Menu is an experience, indeed. The movie promises shocking moments, and it delivers. The movie promises dark comedy, and I believe it checks that box as well. Although the plot is pretty slow to get started, once the group sits down for dinner and dishes gets served, the creeps and the giggles kick into high gear. The biggest issue – without spoiling anything – is that there isn’t a great explanation for why what is happening happens. While the guests are hilariously insufferable, some of the things that occur are random and therefore a little unsatisfying. What is definitely satisfying are the performances by Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy. Fiennes fills his role as controlling and brilliant chef quite well. He’s menacing like Voldemort, but he is also eerily funny. Anya Taylor-Joy, who is great in basically everything she’s in, is a bright light here. She’s cunning and easily goes toe-to-toe with Fiennes. I’ll also shout out Nicholas Hoult as he has one of the other characters with a distinct and identifiable personality. The rest of the cast are generally caricatures of terrible people, but they don’t particularly standout. Ultimately, Streamers, The Menu delivers a tasty dish. It has fresh bite with a tangy twist, spiced up by great performances of Fiennes and Taylor-Joy. Although some plot details feel random and characters aren’t especially detailed, the overall experience is thrilling enough to satisfy. While I’m not over the top about the movie, it is worthwhile for a matinee trip to the theater, so grab a bowl of popcorn. Be careful with whatever else you decide to order.

Okay, Streamers, we have a lot of family movies coming out around this time. Studios are putting out their Christmas fare early. There are those romantic comedies and so many other films that are supposed to appeal to broad audiences as the families get together for the holidays. Amazon released on Prime Video a family comedy based on a novel with the same name, The People We Hate at the Wedding. Here's how the wedding bells tolled. I'm going to be honest, friends. I don't want to waste my time writing a review of The People We Hate at the Wedding. It is such a nothing movie that I don't even want to write the premise. Fine - Alice (Kristen Bell) and Paul (Ben Platt) travel to their estranged, half-sister, Eloise's (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) wedding in England. Alice and Paul are American and are struggling in their personal and professional lives while Eloise grew up in England and seemingly leads a posh and perfect existence. Alice, Paul and their mother, Donna (Allison Janney), who is also Eloise's mother, go to the wedding begrudgingly. Disastrous hijinks ensue. Actually, that synopsis was too long for this bland, unfunny movie. Everything you think will happen from the set up happens. Sorry to spoil it for you, Streamers. The worst part of the movie is that even though it is predictable, it could at least be funny but it's NOT. I like Kristen Bell, Ben Platt and Allison Janney. None of them can save this movie. Allison Janney does the best of those three, but she really doesn't have much to do either. The title of the movie gives you a clue that you will dislike these people, but there's really no redeeming value in them anyway. So, what's the point. Ultimately, The People We Hate at the Wedding is not a good movie. It is pretty boring and definitely not funny. You could have this playing in the background during Thanksgiving dinner because you don't have to pay attention to it to know exactly what's going on and what's going to happen. Yep, this is definitely only a one popped kernel, but only because I can't say it's awful.

YIBAMBE! YIBAMBE! Welcome back Streamers. The long awaited Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has finally hit the theaters. Chadwick may not be with us but he’ll never be forgotten. Let’s jump into it! Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a spectacle. High flying action sequences, underwater sequences, pounding music, costumes and set design galore, WHALES! I mean, what isn’t in this movie. The movie features a diversity of almost everything to the likes that Marvel really hasn’t explored before, but as the TV shows pile up and Wakanda is revisited, Disney is getting the hang of it. We have storylines and themes that speak to the new generations coming into their own: allowing your culture to be a part of who you are but not all of who you are; the divide between technology and tradition don’t have to be polar opposites; it’s ok to be young black and gifted, etc. Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole and crew really put thought into this movie. WITH THAT SAID, I feel like this movie’s storyline was a bit rushed, and the attention to detail and thought put into the first Black Panther is far superior to this sequel. The movie felt a bit more business than culture this time around. Maybe that’s because the movie takes its time to honor our fallen Panther, Chadwick Boseman, but a larger part of it is that Disney has this Marvel franchise **** Phase wheel. It would be interesting to find out how this movie would’ve gone if Marvel waited a couple more years to produce this film and actually recast T’Challa. I think the decision to not recast will play a huge role in the success of the MCU storylines to come. But enough about that. Since Wakanda Forever is missing its anchor in Boseman’s T’Challa, the remainder of the cast has to step up to give this movie life. Each cast member delivers the goods. The Queen, Angela Bassett, is commanding as Ramonda. Her family has been devastated, but her confidence and regal nature has not suffered one bit. Bassett has the gravitas to play a queen, but she never feels out of place in this action epic. Also, a lot falls on the shoulders of Letitia Wright. Shuri was the smart, wisecracking baby sister of T’Challa in the first movie, but now, she’s had to mature because of the tragedy that her family and people have suffered. Wright brings that grief and resilience to screen. It is true that she doesn’t have the magnetism that Boseman had, but she does very well to fill those big shoes. Then, Danai Gurira and Winston Duke add spice to their scenes and bring humor and lightness to what could have been a very heavy movie. Also, Tenoch Huerta brings the villain to life. There is a very cool design to Namor and he’s a formidable guy. Finally, I have to specifically highlight the costumes by Ruth E. Carter. She won an Oscar for designing the costumes in Black Panther. She designed some fantastic costumes in Wakanda Forever. The funeral scenes are transcendent because of the vibrant costumes on display. The overall design of the movie is really remarkable and helps to bring the whole story to life, both in Wakanda and the underwater world of Talokan. Long movie short, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a classic Marvel superhero movie with an elegant tribute to our fallen panther, Chadwick Boseman. Wakanda Forever brings hard-hitting action, technology, cool costumes, and culture to the big screen. It’s great to see diversity of different types expanding in the Marvel and Disney family. Other than the movie being super long but normal for Marvel movies, the rest of the movie is enjoyable and normal to watch. Grab a big box of fresh popcorn and enjoy this spectacle of a movie.

It’s elementary, my dear, Streamers. You knew from the second that Enola Holmes ended that there would be a sequel coming. Our plucky heroine would be roaming the streets of London searching for more crimes to solve and people to find. In Enola Holmes 2, Enola is back to solve mysteries and trying to one-up her older and vastly more famous brother, Sherlock. As these sequels go, however, it can all become a lot more of the same. Here’s whether Enola is able to “out-Sherlock” Sherlock. Enola Holmes 2 has an easy formula to follow. For everyone who saw the first film, you were already introduced to Enola, so you don’t have to get the who Holmes family backstory again. This movie can move right into what is happening with Enola since the last caper ended. Here, she’s about to close her fledgling private detective agency, when a young girl enlists Enola to find her missing sister. Eagerly, Enola takes on the case of these young women who work in a match factory, and she uncovers the disturbing truths along the way. Sherlock has a bit of a hand deducing in this mystery. Hijinks ensue. Here’s the thing: if you liked Enola Holmes, there’s no reason you won’t like Enola Holmes 2. Millie Bobby Brown has the same charm and plucky energy as Enola as she did in the first film. Henry Cavill returns as Sherlock, and even though he gets to participate in the crime solving, the focus remains on Enola and her fumbling towards a resolution. The movie is light and interesting. The case has enough twists and turns to sustain the runtime, but it is fairly obvious where the mystery is going early on. I will say that there was a point where I was exhausted by all of the running around and chasing the red herrings. If the characters weren’t interesting and charming, I would have easily lost interest. The main thing to know is that these Enola Holmes movies are really for your pre-teen/tween-age audience. They are fine for adults, but really, older people will get bored. Your 11-year-old niece will love this. She’ll swoon at the burgeoning romance between Enola and her love interest. Your nephew will swoon over Enola and other castmates and wish they were Sherlock. All while being confused by the most obvious twists, turns, and clues. It’s honestly a win-win situation. Enola Holmes 2 is a cute teen movie overflowing with young women can do it power. This movie doesn’t feel like it has as much energy as the first but it’s still a quality movie. There is still charm throughout even though the mystery is a bit lacking. Grab a bowl of popcorn and the tween-age family member for a fun afternoon with the Holmes family.

Streamers, the long-awaited DC Comic adaptation of Black Adam is finally here. We finally get to see Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam. Black Adam is set about 5,000 years after he was bestowed with powers. After freeing his hometown, Kahndaq, Black Adam finds himself waiting in confinement for his time to return as Kahndaq’s savior. Freed from his tomb, Black Adam is ready to unleash his justice on modern day Kahndaq and dares anyone to stop him. DC Comic action ensues. Let’s get this out of the way: the movie is quite entertaining but of course DC Comics will DC Comics. As we know from their previous installments, they come with a lot of hype but sometimes they just fizzle in the full execution. This movie is no different, but the fizzle is honestly quite less. The issues here are more annoying than bad. For instance, The Rock and the rest of the cast are going to bring us comedy, but I found that the one-liners that were supposed to make us chuckle missed the mark. Watching, I knew the line was supposed to be funny, but the flow of the movie blows passed the line or something. It seems like the editing of the movie messed with the timing for some of these jokes, and it happened a few too many times. There are still funny moments that hit hard, but those moments that fell flat are noticeable. Along with that, the script felt repetitive. Characters seemed to be saying the same thing over and over. I get that they were trying to drive home the theme of the movie but come off it! Next, I hate when really smart people in movies conveniently forget something they know that is very simple just so it can lead to a twist or turning point in the movie. It happened here and it literally makes no sense. It’s just annoying that it happened. It’s not terrible just like eh come on DC, y’all couldn’t have thought of a better way to either make the situation harder to figure out or something. Again, annoying but not bad. Lastly, we’re fighting this god-like figure, why do we bring someone to the fight that clearly can’t help. My girl, Quintessa Swindell wasn’t asked to do much with her character, Cyclone, so naturally she did perfectly well. However, Cyclone had no business in this movie. Her powers were demonstrated beautifully and very artistically but in no way would be helpful in this fight. Like come on DC Comics, y’all could’ve put any other character in this spot that might have been actually helpful. So again, it’s not bad just annoying or a missed opportunity by the filmmakers. On top of that, it’s hard to have a movie with characters similar to the MCU and then try to differentiate those characters. I find Dr. Fate and Atom Smasher a bit too close to Dr. Strange and Ant-Man. It’s hard to see them demonstrate powers and not get the feeling I’ve seen this before. This isn’t the movie’s fault but it’s just a byproduct of the DC and Marvel race copycatting each other over the decades. Nevertheless, it’s hard to shake that feeling, especially in the fight sequences. Now, for the good. The movie is crisp, clean, hard hitting, similar to the other DC movies. On this alone, the movie is one of those movies you turn on just to ooh and ahh at the action sequences on FX. The characters are portrayed very well, and producers definitely cast the movie well. Johnson’s Black Adam is stoic, powerful, callous but caring and clever. Of course, we get the power for the character, but Johnson also shows some sentimental acting in the flick that helps show the character’s depth of emotions and burden in the movie. They could’ve easily taken the character into a typical Johnson film and comedy, but they toed the line pretty well, allowing him some comic relief without losing the stoic strength. Aldis Hodge’s Hawkman is suave, smart, powerful and relentless. Pierce Brosnan as Dr. Fate was quite fitting as well. With that said, Black Adam is an entertaining movie that plans to keep the DC Comic Universe continuing over the next years. Black Adam isn’t without its issues which is typical to DC Comics and their finnicky execution. Dwayne Johnson and cast bring a hard-hitting character to life. It’s hard to say this movie is not worth seeing on the big screen but I also realize comic fans may also be annoyed with the movie a bit. You will not be mad seeing this on big screen but just realize there will be some DC Comic movie issues. I mean the movie is worth seeing for the after-credit scene alone… *Nudge Nudge*

Welcome back, Streamers. You’re fresh off of Halloween season and the last of it lingers in this post. This week we were able to watch a movie released on Netflix titled, Wendell & Wild. This movie is based on an unpublished book by Clay McLeod Chapman and written for the screen by Jordan Peel and Henry Selick. Wendell & Wild is a movie about two demon brothers, Wendell and Wild, scheming their way out of their stuck life. They get the help of troubled 13-year-old, Kat, to summon them to the land of the living in order for their dreams to come true. Teen angst and undead hijinks ensue. I’ll put it out there – Wendell and Wild is a fun and cute movie led by a top comedic duo. Key and Peele are back at it again with these two demons that look just like them. While not exactly like their show, the banter feels familiar and natural just like remember. You can really feel the influence that Peele had in the writing. And speaking of looking just like them, the animation is similar to Coraline but taken to the next level. Stop-motion animation is a meticulous artwork that has been popular for a minute but definitely only needs to be done by the right people. Henry Selick is the right person. Wendell & Wild is so crisp, clean and imaginative. There is much attention to detail and even originality. Its small things like how a hair or facial features are presented is fresh, interesting, and creative ways. I could literally just watch a documentary on how this movie was filmed and what the creators decided to do in certain scenes. With that said, the animation is almost more interesting than the actual movie, which is actually a negative. You can get so mesmerized in the look of the movie that you start to forget to listen to what’s going on. Honestly, the storyline isn’t complex or that original to be honest; however, the writing is well thought out, honest and heartfelt. The movie can be a bit slow at times but the animation and the chuckles sprinkled through the movie keep the viewer going. Lastly, the cast all do a really great job. The cast is diverse in many ways and really bring the story to life. Key and Peele obviously do what they do but Angela Bassett, Ving Rhames, Lyric Ross, Sam Zelaya and others each bring life to their characters. Ultimately, Wendell & Wild is typical teen family movie with superb animation. The storyline isn’t too original but the writing and voice work bring the movie to life. Well, does it bring undead as well? Anyway, Wendell & Wild grab a bowl of popcorn and check out this cute family movie when you get a chance on Netflix. Sidenote: some of y’all need that hair cream… yah looking a little dead out here!

Welcome back, Streamers! Halloween season is upon us and so is nostalgia. This weekend Disney+ released the long-awaited/no one asked for sequel to Hocus Pocus, Hocus Pocus 2. Now, you probably know that this movie follows three young women who accidentally bring back the Sanderson Sisters to modern day Salem and must figure out how to stop the child-hungry witches from wreaking havoc on the world. But really who lights the black candle again?!? Let's see how this goes. Of course, Disney gave a lot of nostalgic moments to work with. Disney was like how can we get parents who grew up on this movie and their kids to relate? Oh, I got it bring back a franchise from 30 years ago. Let's see if this hits and maybe we can make another kind of reboot movie. That's what we have here. We have Better Midler doing Bette Midler things as she did 30 years ago. Parker and Najimy doing the same thing but the sisters, even though similar to back then, have gained a new sense of self in the grave to match the sentiments of today's culture. Our young folks in this really didn't give us life like the original cast. I feel it may have been the writing that didn't really make them interesting or funny as compared to the first movie. HOWEVER, the real stars of this movie were the young versions of the Sanderson Sisters. The movie starts off so well with them that it's almost impossible to not enjoy the movie from that point on. Shoot, I'd almost watch a whole movie of the adventures of the young Sanderson Sisters. DO YOU HEAR THAT DISNEY?! Long incantation short, this overdue sequel while losing some of its original magic still has the juice. Hocus Pocus 2 is a fun movie that lacks some creativity and originality. The nostalgia abounds and most likely Disney may be setting up some more for the future. Families should grab a bowl of popcorn and watch this cult classic sequel to begin their streaming Halloween movie season.

Hey, Streamers! You know you need some laughter and Jesus in your life. Why not try both? There was a comedy released in theaters and on Peacock this weekend called Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. I ventured to the theater to see this one. Here’s whether my soul was saved by the humor in this one. Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. follows Pastor Lee-Curtis Childs (Sterling K. Brown) and First Lady, Trinitie Childs (Regina Hall), as they attempt to rebuild the congregation of their Southern Baptist mega church after a scandal. The movie isn’t explicit about the scandal, at first, that led to the devastation of their ministry, but the audience is led to believe it has something to do with Lee-Curtis’s sexual indiscretions. Trinitie is a dutiful wife, who has been standing by her husband and gets into increasingly silly and humiliating situations all in support of him and the church. There is also a funny side plot about a rival church led by the Sumpters (Nichole Beharie and Conphidance). Will the Childs be able to regain their stature in the community? Praying and hijinks ensue. The best part of this movie is the cast, particularly Regina Hall and Sterling K. Brown. They both came to play and they have great chemistry with each other. Sterling plays Lee-Curtis with the swagger and false charisma of a pastor rocked by scandal. He has the kind of energy that you’d expect from a pastor who had 25,000 congregants, lost it all and desperately wants it back. Regina Hall’s character supports her husband, but you can tell that she’s struggling mightily with all that he’s doing. She puts herself in such crazy situations, but she never breaks a sweat. The control and humor that Hall infuses in her character makes her endearing and hilarious. She is excellent. On the downside, the plot itself feels thin. It is like an extended SNL sketch. It is a funny sketch, but I can’t say that it is necessary to be the length of a movie. There are a few lulls in the humor. Even though the cast is game and there are some laugh out loud moments, there really could have been more. I wanted every line to hit and they didn’t always. Nevertheless, the movie is more successful than not. Additionally, the moral of the story is kind of murky. Does Lee-Curtis learn a lesson? Does Trinitie continue to stand by her man and support the church despite what she’s been through? It is complicated, and the movie doesn’t do a great job of untangling those issues. Ultimately, Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. is a funny movie even though it is just an extended comedy sketch. The cast does its best with a comedy. Brown brings energy necessary to punch up the jokes while Regina Hall gives a stellar performance from beginning to end. I can’t say it is necessary to see this movie in the theater, but it is definitely worthy of a big box of popcorn if you can catch it on Peacock.

What do you get when a good Samaritan meets his Nemesis? I don’t know, but Rocky told that to Apollo Creed and that’s what started the first fight. Welcome back, Streamers! This weekend we were able to watch Prime Video’s release of Samaritan. The movie follows a teen Sam (played by Javon “Wanna” Walton) who suspects that his mysterious neighbor Mr. Smith (played by Sylvester Stallone) is actually a former superhero hiding plain sight. As the tale goes, about two decades ago the greatest hero, Samaritan, and villain, Nemesis- not creative, also maybe twins (?), had the biggest battle of their careers. At the end of the battle, a huge explosion was reported to have killed both, but many believers thought that Samaritan was still alive. With crime on the rise in the city, everyone is still looking for Samaritan to reappear. Sam makes it his business to make his guess come true. Let’s see if this gets the parable treatment Now, you may think I went into too much detail about the plot, but the origin story in the beginning of the movie was the best part. Let’s be honest, the names of characters can’t be more boring. The good Samaritan and his Nemesis. Really? Can we get duller? Anyway, the story about them being twins and going opposite ways and then a weapon was forged for an epic battle. It is pretty good. Reminds us of that whole Cain and Abel situation. However, what follows is basically every movie about a superhero in hiding. I can’t even say the action sequences were even that inspiring or shocking. Towards the end, Stallone does put on a bit of a show but even that’s pretty short-lived. Speaking of Stallone, he was okay in this as a whole. You could really see him trying to portray the feelings, restraint, and annoyance that this character may have had dealing with due to this kid and his past. Speaking of annoying, our little buddy in this film was just that. Wanna Walton, while on purpose, was annoying, nosy, and fit the role well. The only other character of note was the new age Nemesis, and this movie did it’s best to give us a Bane monologue for this guy. That’s literally all I can say of note for his character, otherwise just the normal gang leader who wants more power. Seen it a million times. Long story short, this parable isn’t a bad watch just there’s no rush to watch. Samaritan totes an original story but lacks some original execution overall. The elder statesmen Stallone gives the character a pretty good go as a “retired” or superhero in hiding. There are some okay fight scenes here and there but not enough to really make the movie pop off your streaming lists. Grab a handful of popcorn, be a good Samaritan yourself and if you find some time during a lull in your afternoon turn on this Prime Video streamer.

We’ve been waiting for this, Streamers. Thor: Love and Thunder has finally been released in theaters. The MCU is back before us with more content that we’ve been clamoring for. This movie follows Thor as he enlists the help of King Valkyrie, Bestie Korg and ex-girlfriend, Jane Foster, to fight Gorr the God Butcher, who intends to make all of the gods extinct. You know with these MCU movies we have to talk about the storyline and the bigger picture. First, a newbie could definitely just watch this movie and not be completely lost about what’s going on. As Korg narrates at key points in the movie, he’s able to bring us all up to speed. Secondly, I’m no comic book expert but to me this movie doesn’t move the universe along that much if at all, which is good. I feel everyone is too wrapped up in how it plays into the phases and multiverse and blah blah blah, which just causes people to not be immersed in and entertained by the product in front of them (*cough cough* alluding to what people did to the Dr. Strange movie but no one asked me, so I’ll move on). Lastly, this movie is full of heart. Thor, Jane, and Gorr will pull on your heartstrings throughout in unexpected ways. While some of their plot points weren’t fully fleshed out, I recognize that it’s hard to make these movies feel important after the emotional depth in Endgame. Nevertheless, Taika’s direction and the writing definitely tried their best to fill the movie with heart and humor. Let’s move on to the cast. Christian Bale does his thing as Gorr. He’s so creepy in this. Bale has a way of slithering across the screen and being menacing even though he’s not necessarily physically imposing. Marvel could’ve taken this to the next level in ****, but it seems like the MCU is building to an overarching Big Bad and don’t yet want to give us that Thanos-like figure. Who knows? We may have seen that Big Bad already, but the MCU hasn’t truly featured them yet. Anyway! Thor, on the other hand, while goofy and fun, campy, and still beastly, he does come off a bit too corny. And, it’s hard to say because some of the exact same moments are definitely going to be moments that people enjoy. The same goes for Korg as well. Taika does a great job voicing Korg, but at times it’s a bit much or unnecessary. The fact that he narrates a lot of the movie could be a turn off to viewers. Korg is great in small pebbles but the whole rock mound gets a bit annoying. Our friend, Jane Foster can be annoying too but her bash head Thor-ness is definitely fun to watch. Marvel definitely found a way to make Jane come into her own and not just as a Thor carbon copy, which I enjoyed. I wish I could say the same for Valkyrie. They didn’t really let my girl Tessa really shine in this movie. After Ragnarok, I think we wanted that boss chick featured again. Unfortunately, she was more of a bell and whistle than a co-star. Those are the people you come to see but there are a bunch of small characters that either melt your heart, annoy you a bit, make you laugh, or want to see more of. Srangely that mixture, actually gives a movie life. It’s just Marvel doing Marvel things making you want more. Long story short, Thor: Love and Thunder while maybe not Ragnarok doesn’t fall too far from the tree. Marvel, Taika and Kevin Feige just continue a strong MCU/Thor Franchise. This movie will make you laugh, hold on to your seat, awe at the action, **** back thug tears and more. Thor gets a bit corny but not enough to make me say don’t see Bale’s creepy Gorr the God Butcher. Love and Thunder will make loud noise in the theaters so grab that big box of fresh popcorn and enjoy.

As the NBA season ends with another Warriors championship, it felt right to watch Hustle. Just as Adam Sandler is a huge basketball fan, so am I. Hustle, a movie which recently premiered on Netflix, follows Stanley Sugarman (Sandler), a long time 76ers scout who has coaching aspirations. Sugarman finally finds a worthy talent in Madrid, a Spanish amateur baller, Bo Cruz. Fired up by advice from his long-time mentor, Stanley makes it his mission to groom Bo for the NBA as he believes they both can make it to where they are meant to be. Basketball montages, posterizing dunks, and giggles ensue. In Hustle, the comedic moments work very well even though they are few and far between, especially for a movie pegged on being a comedy. We got some classic workout montages and some great basketball sequences but not as much comedy. The flick is filled with young NBA stars and cameos. I'm looking at you Professor, AO and Bone Collector! The best part of this movie is that it gives fans a look into the hard work that the young men put into making it in a league of 400. Fans take it for granted what it takes to give them 82 exciting games a year plus the playoffs. For every star we see in the making like the LeBron's, Karl Anthony Townes, and Paulo Bancheros, there is a little known guy that is working his butt off just for a chance to be seen. That determination is what the movie embodies - the spirit of the little guy giving it all he has for his family back home whether local or foreign. On top of that, the movie gives a look at the struggle of those people who are overlooked that make the games work: the scouts, trainers, assistant coaches, and the other cogs behind the scenes. It is typical to get a movie from the head coach's perspective but we don't usually get the same for scouts and prospective assistant coaches. Sandler and crew do a really good job portraying this struggle. Long story short, sports fans, particularly NBA fans, especially NBA2k-ers, will love this movie. It's bringing my player to real life. Plus, there's Adam Sandler playing a basketball role that we just know he loves. A compelling story meets fun-loving-sports Rudy-esque story will always give you a big box of popcorn. Ole Beech.

It has been almost 30 years since the original Toy Story movie premiered to much acclaim. There have been 3 sequels since that time, and each of those sequels delved into deep and lofty themes like friendship, growth and existence itself. Now, Pixar has gone back to the Toy Story universe again and presents Lightyear. If I'm correct, Toy Story 4 seemed like an unnecessary, though moderately successful, diversion; and now there's a spin-off that is the movie on which the Buzz Lightyear character is based. Okay... I had to run out and see. Let's see what's beyond infinity. The initial text of Lightyear tells us that what we are about to see is the 1995 movie that Andy saw that made him want to buy the Buzz Lightyear toy. The movie is about a space ranger, Buzz Lightyear, who is desperately trying to complete a mission he thinks he botched. The more Lightyear tries to complete the mission the more time slips away from him. Lightyear is joined by a rag-tag group of rookie, wannabe space rangers and an adorable "cat" named Sox. Hijinks and space adventure ensues. There are two related things that Lightyear has to contend with: 1.) why Andy wanted the Buzz Lightyear toy and 2.) how does Lightyear stack up to the other movies in the Pixar filmography. After seeing this, I don't understand why Andy would want the Buzz toy instead of the Sox toy. Sox is the obvious standout of the movie. Sox is cute and funny and smart and memorable. Lightyear isn't really any of that, despite Chris Evans' good performance. As for its place in the Pixar filmography, Lightyear is a nice story to enhance the Toy Story saga, but it doesn't succeed on its own; and, it doesn't reach the heights of the best Pixar movies like Finding Nemo, Up, Inside Out and Soul. It attempts to tug at your heartstrings, but it gets bogged down by the action and space adventure. Although the space adventure stuff is cool, if you don't have a strong connection to Buzz, you probably won't care much. I think kids will like Lightyear, especially the ones who'll be captivated by the space and pseudo-science-y stuff. It doesn't seem that you have to know a lot about Toy Story to enjoy the movie, but I suspect some appreciation of the originals may be beneficial. On its own, it is fine. The voice cast is very good and have a nice charm. Chris Evans sounds so much like Tim Allen. Keke Palmer is charming as ever in her role. She has a lot of personality in her voice, so they did a good job of casting that part. There's some humor, a lot of action and so, yeah... it's fine as an animated action movie. Well, Lightyear has its moments. There are good voice performances by the cast, a very endearing character in Sox, and an interesting premise. It fails to deliver on the promise of the story and there isn't much of an emotional hook like most Pixar movies. Nevertheless, it's entertaining enough to keep you engaged for its runtime. I'd suggest a bowl of popcorn for a matinee viewing.

Hey, Streamers! Word of mouth is a powerful tool in marketing a movie. I have been hearing about this epic, 3-hour action flick from India for the past few months. I heard that it was a spectacle full of high octane action sequences, musical performances and more that had to be seen to be believed. While I couldn't catch this one in the theater, Netflix has added RRR to its service. Here's how it goes. Yes, RRR is an epic, action movie about two men on a collision course with the British Empire in India. There is Bheem, who sets out to rescue Malli, a young girl from his tribe who was kidnapped by the British governor and his wicked wife. Then, there is Rama, an Indian police officer working for the British army. Bheem is fierce and ruthless, cunning and singularly focused on his goal to save Malli. Rama is equally fierce and ruthless and set on protecting the British government. As Bheem and Rama meet and become unlikely friends, secrets and hidden agendas lead to more than they both bargained for in their relationship and lead to the simmering revolutions against the British Empire. Despite its 3-hour run time, RRR is relentless. There are some lulls when the movie is setting up its plot, but it doesn't dwell much in exposition. Believe me, you may need a moment to breathe in between these action sequences. The film moves from action sequence to musical number and back. There are crazy visual effects and boundless energy coming from the screen through the camera movements and the actors. Actually, words cannot explain what this movie is really like. You just have to see it to believe it. RRR is a must-see movie. Sure, it's long, but don't let the runtime deter you. There is enough energy and action to fill the screen from beginning to end. It is surprising and worth the time spent. Grab a big box of popcorn and settle in for butt kicking and dancing and action in RRR.

Jurassic World: Dominion opened in theaters this weekend. It is the highly anticipated sixth installment in the Jurassic Park franchise. In Dominion, we find out whether the dinosaurs, who were released into the world at the end of Fallen Kingdom, have been integrated into the greater society and what effect their presence has on the broader ecosystem. It’s been almost 30 years since we were first introduced to dinosaurs in modern times; but, six films later, are we still in awe of the scientific feats of DNA splicing and cloning? Here’s whether going back to Jurassic World is worth all of that anticipation. Jurassic World: Dominion brings back Owen Grady (Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Howard), who are raising the teenage clone, Maisie Lockwood (Sermon). They are protecting her from evil corporate interests who seek to capture and study her for their own nefarious reasons. Also, Elli Sattler (Dern) and Alan Grant (Neill) are back to investigate a potential ecological disaster brought on by genetically modified locusts rabidly devouring the world’s crops. Then, there is Ian Malcolm (Goldblum) and Ramsay Cole (Athie) as fixtures of the corporation, Biosyn, which is at the center of all of these machinations. There’s also a dynamic pilot, Kayla Watts (Wise), and a manipulative CEO of Biosyn, Lewis Dodgson (Scott). Oh man, did I forget anything? Um… prehistoric ravenous hijinks ensue. Okay, as you can see, there is a lot going on in Jurassic World: Dominion. It’s not necessarily complicated, but it is a lot to follow. These Jurassic Park movies always have a bit of an issue getting bogged down explaining the science of this all. In Dominion, they have to talk about genetic splicing and cloning and ecology, and it just goes on and on. Sattler and Grant are focused on stealing the DNA of these destructive locusts to prove that Biosyn is evil. Owen and Claire are focused on protecting Maisie from Biosyn. In a sense, it feels like so much is going on that there is not enough time for the characters to run and scream from the dinosaurs. That’s the unfortunate part if you really like that aspect from the original. Despite these reservations of the plot, the movie does have its exciting parts. There are dinosaur chases through the streets, through the jungle and through the Biosyn facilities. DeWanda Wise plays a tough-as-nails, wisecracking pilot, who seems to be the most competent of all of our characters. She gets good one-liners and has a magnetic personality. Her presence adds a lot of energy to what could become stale. I’ll also note that the legacy characters of Sattler, Grant and Malcolm give exactly what you want. It’s like no time has passed at all. The nostalgia is very high and they effectively scratch that Jurassic Park itch. Ultimately, Jurassic World: Dominion is an enjoyable, escapist summer blockbuster. The problem here is that there is too much going on and it doesn’t exactly all come together. There are probably too many characters that distract from the main attraction – the dinosaurs. Nevertheless, there are good dinosaur chases and exciting moments with a great new character played by DeWanda Wise. While I wouldn’t call Jurassic World: Dominion essential, it certainly is good enough for a matinee viewing, so get your bowl of popcorn.

Well, Streamers, we're a couple weeks late on the new Downton Abbey sequel, which is cleverly titled, Downton Abbey: A New Era. A new era, you say? We shall see about that. When we get these sequels of popular television series, we really want what you love from the series, but also something to justify the price of theater admission. Otherwise, these sequels could just be a TV movie, right? As a Downton Abbey fan, I'm predisposed to enjoy returning to the 1920s English countryside, but is there anything here for the uninitiated? Here's how the new era at the Abbey shakes up. Do you really need a synopsis? It's more Downton Abbey, for goodness sake. You have tea. You have scandal. You have upstairs and downstairs light drama. There are some quips thrown about, and, of course, the threat of the outside world comes to Downton as well. In particular, the Dowager Countess has inherited, unexpectedly, a French villa from a past acquaintance. Part of the Crawley family heads to the south of France to check out the new vacation spot. The remaining Crawley bunch stay at Downton because a film crew is coming to make a motion picture. Hijinks ensue. All of the favorites from the series are back, except for Lady Mary's husband. I guess Matthew Goode was busy on some other project to return to Downton. Nevertheless, it seems the family keeps growing in to the late 1920s. The promise of a bright future also always reminds the Crawley family of the impending end of an era. It is a welcome treat to return to the Downton Abbey Universe (DAU...work with me here) as it keeps expanding. The best part is that it feels so familiar. The production values and costumes look great on film. Julian Fellowes has a great grasp of these character and the light tone that has carried throughout the series. Sure, there's drama and scandal, but it all very measured and easy. The general low stakes makes Downton Abbey a fun watch. The only real issue is that there is such a sprawling cast that the movie can only do so much in 2 hours. The plot splits the cast into two groups, which makes it more manageable, but some characters still get the short end of the stick. As a fan, I could spend more than 2 hours with this series. I'd like for this to have been a 3-hour limited series. That could have been cool. While a non-fan can enjoy this film, I suspect that the size of the cast and brisk pace of the movie may make it difficult to digest without a little background. Nevertheless, there is always something going on, it is edited very well, and the charm and wit will **** you in no matter what. Ultimately, Downton Abbey: A New Era does everything its fans want it to do. It has that same light energy that was present throughout the tv series and the first film. The Crawley family continues to grow and move through society with aplomb. Charm, wit and a lot of heart abound. Fans have been served well by this sequel. Yes, everyone else can enjoy this sequel, but it clearly has more depth for those predisposed to the DAU. Fans get your big box of popcorn and enjoy, if you haven't already. Everyone else grab a bowl and enjoy a matinee, if you choose.

Streamers, we’ve found a streaming option that you may not have heard about – unless you went on Amazon Prime and saw those banners everywhere. The movie is called Emergency. College besties are ready for a legendary night of senior year partying, but an emergency situation throws a wrench in their plans. The roommates must weigh the pros and cons of calling the police when faced with an unexpected situation. Now, the biggest qualm with this movie is that it is supposed to be primarily a comedy? The real problem is the way the movie is marketed. I don’t think we should necessarily call this a comedy, but I guess it is. I thought I was going to see a fun last-night-of-college-party romp. I thought it would be a straight-forward buddy comedy that’s easy to digest. If you were looking for something light to end the night with a chuckle, boy did Amazon lead you astray! Emergency has some quirky, weed heavy, ironic chuckles in the first 30 minutes but then the humor is quite sparse throughout the rest. Once you get into the main part of the plot, things get very tense. After talking, I found this a bit funnier than Trip; but where we agree is Emergency definitely leans heavily on the drama and the real-life plight that black and brown people face when encountering or potentially interacting with the police. I was not expecting what Emergency actually was. Now, that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it. It just wasn’t what I expected. If you give this movie the chance, you will be completely caught up in the situation and the decisions that the main characters make. Where this movie succeeds is in the story telling and the plot. I felt like I was one of the guys going on an epic senior year bender one last time. Then, it felt like I was right in the strife with them. One might even say the movie hit too close to home. I think the movie ultimately succeeds in showing how complex a situation can become when race is a potential factor. It allows the suspense to build with every decision made by the main characters has the potential for disaster. The tension of the situation and the relationships is harnessed very well. I bet you will be screaming at the screen as these guy goes deeper and deeper into this situation. Part of the credit has to go to RJ Cyler, Donald Elise Watkins and Sebastian Chacon, who believably play these college seniors that make want to make smart decision but seem to make bad decisions at every turn. They play off of each other well and make these character feel real. Long story short, Emergency is a very good movie from Amazon Studios. Where they lacked in the comedy, they picked up in a compelling and heartfelt story of the struggle of black and brown men in society. The line between hero and victim is razor thin for this population and Emergency definitely displays it. It is a must-see experience, so grab your box of popcorn and strap in.

Hey, Streamers, let's fly off into the Danger Zone. Yes, it's Top Gun: Maverick time. The sequel you have been waiting almost 40 years for, which was supposed to come out 2 years ago, is finally here. Now, I have never seen the original film, but I was keen to see what all the hype around this sequel was about. Tom Cruise has made good choices over the years and he's always going full tilt in these action roles, so I didn't expect for this to disappoint. Here's how it goes. Even though Top Gun: Maverick is a present-day sequel to the original Top Gun (1986), the movie really leans into that old-fashioned, 1980's action film vibe. Also, there is a big spoiler from the original film that is central to the story of this sequel - Maverick's wingman, Goose, died. Here, Goose's son, Rooster (Miles Teller), is one of the elite Navy aviators, who Maverick (Tom Cruise) is tasked with training for what's considered an important but impossible mission. There is tension between Maverick and Rooster because of their fraught history. There is tension between Maverick and his superiors because he is notorious for going rogue. Nevertheless, Maverick is the best and the mission requires the best. High-flying hijnks ensue. Top Gun: Maverick is the kind of movie that begs to be seen on a big screen. In my opinion, the story is not really great or innovative, so the actions sequences, stunts and camera work have to justify the price of admission. Luckily, they very much do. The aerial shots and all of the fighter jets flying have to be seen on a big screen to truly be appreciated. The rumble of the jets and the perceived danger add to the tension that builds up through the movie and explodes in the final sequences. While there is an attempt to build an emotional core to the film by focusing on Maverick and Rooster's relationship and also a slight love interest on the side, those relationships barely register and seem almost superfluous. Honestly, they could've cut the love story and the film would have been the same but 10-15 minutes shorter - that would have given them the ability to cultivate the Maverick and Rooster relationship, which would have been more impactful. Some of this movie is so retro as to be kind of corny. Glen Powell plays Hangman. He's one of the **** aviators in the Top Gun program. Powell plays it like the quintessential 1980's movie villain, which was groan-inducing at times, but some may love it. Tom Cruise is at his Tom-Cruise-iest, which isn't a bad thing. Movies need stars and Tom Cruise is still a movie star. He still has the charm to pull off Maverick's character. As the movie leans into the nostalgia, Tom Cruise makes it worthy of being on a big screen. This movie desperately needs that. Nevertheless, what was presented was certainly entertaining. There will be times when the flying will have you on the edge of your seat. That's why a movie like this is made. In that way, it is quite successful. Ultimately, Top Gun: Maverick is tailor-made to be seen in a movie theater. The feats of stunts and action are worthy of the big screen. There are times when you may be on the edge of your seat. Although the story is a bit lacking, the rest of the movie makes up for it and the 2-hour runtime flies by in a *wink*. Grab a box of popcorn and enjoy this spectacle on a big screen.

On a sleepy weekend for movie releases in May, we found ourselves in the throes of streaming purgatory. While in purgatory, of course, you want to get a good laugh in while you wait, am I right? So, what do we do streamers? We turn on good ole Netflix and see what they have for us. Senior Year was released on Netflix this weekend - a movie starring new and "improved" Rebel Wilson. Senior Year is about a young lady in 2002 who wasn't popular but set her mind to being the most popular in high school. Days before prom and her dream of being prom queen is accomplished, she wakes up 20 years later in a hospital. Time to head back to high school. Let's see what's worth your time about this one. It's movies like this where I can't tell if you're saying the 90s were better, or crueler, or are you saying this generation is lamer, softer but still cruel. I think this movie falls more on the 90s was harsh, but today's teens could learn something from us. That's what I'm settling on for this movie. This theme is central to whether this movie is good commentary or not. Otherwise, this movie is just a regular 13 Going on 30, Freaky Friday, and Big mash up with some crass one liners. Lord knows I praise Rebel for putting in the work to better herself; but, at times in this movie, her face just looks way older than 37. I'm surprised there weren't really very many old jokes in this movie. It was low hanging fruit, I know; but, damn, Rebel looks out of place. Outside of that, she felt a bit less energetic than the Rebel we're used, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I felt the writing hit sometimes but more than not felt lackluster. In fact, it seems like they maybe went a bit too trendy with their jokes. The jokes were either too cliche and overused; and, in the case of the present time, the jokes were merely humorous but not actually funny. The classic "lol" but you know the person actually isn't laughing out loud where they are. Senior Year is the prototypical streaming or straight to DVD movie. It's a semi-novel idea that's been done before. There are some laughs about the past and giggles about the present. All of which leads to a forgettable viewing experience. If you're bored and want to relive the 90s with Rebel Wilson, check out Senior Year with a handful of popcorn.

Streamers do not get me wrong by the title… the movie is madness alright but it’s just that much more murderous! Welcome back and to the long-awaited review for Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. You’ve got it this weekend Dr. Strange 2 was finally released and MCU fans can finally let a sigh of relief taht the MCU Phases are still coming hot and fresh and all new tricks. my biggest issue with the movie is that it glosses over the connection to No Way Home. It felt as if that was no significant or consequential time in the MCU. I mean Dr. Strange is pompous and flippant but it felt sooooooo … idk. And quite early in the movie he makes a decision that just seems so careless and devil may care attitude. It felt a bit weird. Other than that I felt the movie moved a bit too fast but I do appreciate the under 2 hour runtime. Under two hours and it felt like things were just moving so quickly. ALmost feels like you missed something and have to see it again. Quite refreshing i must admit and I do plan on seeing this again in short order. But let’s get to the good. The movie is wild. The qualify this as madness and it was but it was even more so murderous. I mean from the trailer you can see how everything is literally unraveling on the screen, but the full movie takes it up a notch. The thing I’m most pleased by is that the trailer seems to show so much but the movie has so much more left in the tank. I was quite frightened this was just going to be What If come to live action. And while this movie definitely, touches What if tones, they are not derivative. I should’ve had more faith in Sam Raimi, Disney and Kevin Feige that they wouldn’t let us down. On top of that, the cast doesn’t let us down either. Benedict is all over and manages to keep his head straight. Elizabeth Olsen continues her great performance from WandaVision and really doubles down on the mad in this one. The newcomer who plays America Gomez, doesn’t add much but let’s see what we get from her character in the future. And all of the extra cast play their roles to a T. Was it all perfect? no. the directors or editors might have missed or should’ve used other takes but interestingly enough that makes me want to see the deleted scenes from this movie. They definitely whittled this movie down to be what it was which makes me think what crazy things didn’t make the cut. All in all, I couldn’t imagine seeing Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness not on a big screen. The MCU put a ton of money, effort, and thought into the effects, cast, fanfare, etc. for this movie. Is it perfect? No. Will you be severely entertained and possibly grossed out or scared? Yes. You’re left thinking how and when does this fit io the bigger universe and what’s next! Grab a big box of popcorn and chow down as you enjoy this mad dash through the multiverse and MCU.

Welcome back, Streamers. This weekend HBO Max either graced us with a super late Oscar -movie or a super early one, The Survivor. The movie follows post World War II, Harry (Hertzko) Haft who fought fellow prisoners in the concentration camps to survive and has now made a boxing career out of it in the United States. Harry is traumatized and haunted by his memories and the guilt of his choices during his time at Auschwitz. One thing keeps Harry going is the hope that he will find his long-lost love from before the concentration camps. Let’s travel through time with Harry. Holocaust movies are particularly difficult to watch, but The Survivor can be quite beautiful. The scenery, set design, costume design are all great. For example, there is one scene at the pier where there are literally 100 extras for the set to work around and dress. It was very remarkable. The scenes in the concentration camps, even though in black and white (or grayscale), could be silent and tell a whole story in itself. You can feel the hunger and the pain of the prisoners. It is the closest thing to the actual Holocaust museum that I’ve seen on the big screen. I mean the transformation of the main actor’s character during the different times tells the story in itself. Must have been a labor of love to lose that much weight for this particular role. Furthermore, the dialogue and actual moral conundrums are just heartbreaking to watching. The talk about life and death choices, anvil or the hammer, etc. are some very powerful topics explored, which can be particularly relevant when we see such unjust wars like what Russia is doing to Ukraine currently. The other storyline about what it looks like to love someone is also quite compelling. One might say that this can all be summed up as the exploration of the power of love. How far will love for a friend, family member, crush take you? It was really a beautiful depiction in many forms. If you’re interested look up some more information on Harry Haft ****/wiki/Harry_Haft It’s quite easy to see that The Survivor is an easy pick for a big box of popcorn whether streaming or in the movie theater. We happen to only have to go to HBO Max for this but it’s worth it. The movie is moving and painful to watch but worth the uncomfortable depiction. Sometimes we need to be reminded that there is more to fight for, worst things that can happen, and the choices we make have consequences. Make the right choice and watch The Survivor.

What’s up, Streamers? The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent released in theaters this weekend. It is a movie that trades on the outsized and outrageous persona of Nicolas Cage as much of its hook. Nicolas Cage is a special breed of movie star. He’s had a prestigious career and he’s made a lot of interesting choices – from Leaving Las Vegas and Moonstruck to Con Air, Ghost Rider and National Treasure. Nicolas Cage always gives all of himself to his roles for better, or for worse. This movie has some meta-commentary of the **** of Nicolas Cage surrounded by an action comedy. Here’s how it went. In Massive Talent, Nicolas Cage plays a fictionalized version of himself called Nick Cage. Nick is a formerly successful actor, who desperately trying to hold on to his ****. However, the most lucrative deal he can get is making an appearance for $1 million at a super fan’s birthday party in Spain. As these things go, the super fan is connected to a drug cartel and the CIA is watching this guy. Nick Cage gets recruited to infiltrate the compound and find the president of Spain’s kidnapped daughter. Nicolas Cage overacting and hijinks ensue. This movie is pretty simple. The plot is fairly formulaic and obvious from the beginning. It definitely could be funnier. In fact, the funniest moment in the movie is already spoiled by the trailer. The reason anyone sees this movie is not for what happens but for who’s in it. Therefore, if you are not intrigued by the Nicolas-Cage-of-it-all, then there isn’t much else about the movie that will hook you. Most of the jokes, at Cage’s expense, have already been done before (ex. Andy Samberg as Nicolas Cage on SNL) – the only difference is that Cage is actively involved. It’s not really that sharp, or clever. I will say that Nicolas Cages is totally committed to his part. He’s giving everything, and there are some chuckles because of his delivery. Cage is a special movie presence and so it makes sense that a movie would be made surrounding his persona. Pedro Pascal plays the super fan, who invited Cage to his party. Pascal is really funny. He’s the most memorable part of the whole thing. He definitely should get to play these zany parts more. On a side note: Tiffany Haddish is completely wasted in her role. I have no idea why she is even in this movie. Ultimately, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is fine. It has its moments, but they are few and far between. Nicolas Cage and Pedro Pascal work well together, but the plot of the movie is nothing special. If you are a true Nic Cage fan, then you’ll probably dig all of the inside jokes and references to his filmography. If you are not such a fan, then this movie will probably be pretty forgettable to you. For the Cage fans, grab a big box of popcorn and don’t miss a chance to see your favorite guy be in on the joke. For the rest of you, this is fine for an afternoon on the couch with a handful of popcorn.

Streamers, you know I'm a **** for a horror movie. Of course, right on cue Netflix comes out with an Easter horror flick for me, Choose or Die. It has a retro movie like a "Strangers Things"-vibe meets Saw. Doesn't that description sound cool? Either way, Choose or Die follows Kayla after she finds and begins to play a lost 80s survival horror game. Kayla tries to bring this old-school game into the 21st century with her coding skills, but she unleashes a bit more than she bargained for into her life. Kayla's forced to make some terrifying choices - keep playing or die. I know you're intrigued. The concept is pretty cool, but the execution is beyond me. There are a few other movies that have the main character choosing between the lesser of two evils. Truth or Dare is one that comes to mind. Here, just like other movies I just kept thinking, "Why and how does this thing control people?" I've watched and I still don't understand. It doesn't make sense to me why and how it controls people and things around them. I'm really confused about the ending as well. Why would this make any sense? It makes for a unique situation so I'm all for it; but, just can we make movies make sense sometimes. Sure, some may be saying that it's clearly a fictional horror movie and it doesn't need to make sense; but, I beg the differ. Add a nice 10 minutes of context into it and help this viewer out. I'm not asking for much just a bit of continuity to give the movie some believability. This movie could easily go from horror movie to I'm-not-touching-a-Resident-Evil-videogame-ever-again with a little bit of care. Let's talk about the limited cast. The two stars do a pretty good job for what the movie is. I feel their fear and pain. What I'm really trying to figure out is how one goes from an Academy Award movie like Hugo and Ender's Game to this in the matter of 9 years. I know child actors tend to fall off but half-way through those 11 years he was in a couple other big name movies. Anyway, that has nothing to do with this particular movie. Asa Butterfield was alright for this in the fawning boy role, I guess. Iola Evans, on the other hand, while not groundbreaking, did a very good job of conveying the panic, pain, fear, etc. Needed for this role. Let's see if she gets more "scream queen" roles in the future. With that said, for a streaming movie in April, Choose or Die gives horror fans a little bit of a fix. It's not groundbreaking, not that scary, but it definitely gets the "I'm looking over my shoulder" bug for gamers going. The movie is strangely imaginative and unimaginative at the same time. Either way, grab a bowl of popcorn for this streaming flick. Parents go home and break all of your kid's games just in case, you've been warned.

Welcome back, Streamers. Somewhere in the world there are two CIA operatives and former lovers that will meet up at a fancy restaurant to go over an old case that has reared its ugly head. They'll discuss and attempt to resolve whether and how the organization was compromised all those years ago. By that, I just meant that's what occurs in All The Old Knives that debuted on Prime Video last weekend. Let's see what we thought of this flick, shall we? The movie looks and feels really well done... BUT - and that's when you know there's a problem. The movie just feels off. As the plot unfolds, BORINGLY I might add, it feels more straightforward and obvious than it wants to be. That is a problem for a thriller. The idea of a movie that really is just two people talking over dinner and drinks doesn't scream thriller. The way the story is told as just a recounting of events and conversations doesn't help either. I'll say the movie is an extremely slow, like glacially slow, burn but it does slightly turn up at the end. I think that's what they were going for and what I'll warn you about with this movie. It's slow but you have to give it time to unfold. If this were a movie in theaters, I'd be more skeptical but because this is a streaming flick you can always come back to it. Just have some patience. Thandiwe Newton, Chris Pine, Orli Shuka and Abdul Alshareef all do a really bang up job in their individual roles. I'd say better in the flashback scenes than in the present, but the core of the movie really is about the past rather than the present. As an aside: I wonder if this movie was told chronologically rather than in flashbacks if it could have been more intense. In my opinion, the set-up of a conversation in a restaurant was just boring until they really got going with the backstory. I understand where they were going with it by the end but it felt a bit pandemic-y like they didn't want to have too many actors in one location anymore so they needed to re-shoot it movie to make it safe. "Okay, let's have Thandiwe and Chris talk about the movie we were really trying to make." Anyway, Chris and Thandiwe have strong on-screen chemistry and tension is developed in that relationship, which makes their scenes palpable at times (might just be Thandiwe when I think about it). Orli, as a dark horse, quickly became my guy by the end of the movie. Overall, All the Old Knives gives me less intense Argo vibes. It's a pretty solid story, but the execution of the storytelling knocks off some of the thrill. Coming from Prime Video, this is a solid streaming option but not necessarily something you have to see right away. Grab a bowl of popcorn and a bottle of wine and eat dinner with Thandiwe and Chris.

What's up, Streamers! These movies just keep coming fast and furious like those sequels and spin-offs. It's hard to keep up, isn't it? The streaming services seem to drop multiple new titles weekly. Anyway, we are catching up with Deep Water, the so-called erotic thriller from erotic thriller master director, Adrian Lyne, and starring Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas. There's been a lot of chatter about the salaciousness of this one - mostly because of that failed Affleck-de Armas relationship, but who doesn't like a good erotic thriller. Here's how hot and bothered Deep Water got us. Deep Water follows the story of Vic and Melinda Van Allen (Affleck and de Armas), a socialite couple in a small town, who have an unconventional marriage. Vic and Melinda seem to have an understanding whereby Melinda has lovers outside of the marriage and Vic accepts her philandering in order to keep the marriage intact. Vic isn't entirely satisfied with the arrangement and tries to discourage Melinda's boyfriends from continuing their trysts. When one of Melinda's former lovers goes missing, Vic threatens Melinda's new boy toy by claiming to have killed the former boyfriend. The arrangement becomes untenable as Melinda's escapades become more public, the community begins talking about the Van Allen's and the missing boyfriends, and Vic's jealousy bubbles over. Sexy hijinks ensue. An erotic thriller needs two things to work: sexiness and thrills. Deep Water is lacking in both areas, unfortunately. First, Affleck and de Armas are a good-looking couple. Although there are some sexy moments, the movie doesn't sell what it has advertised. There are moments here and there between Affleck and de Armas and some with de Armas and the other boyfriends, but hardly enough to justify the "erotic" thriller label - nothing truly memorable. On the issue of thrills, I blame the writing for this because the game is given away pretty early. Affleck is brooding around corners, he's saying obvious and threatening things, and the air is let out of any tension there could be. While Affleck is good at being menacing, the performance and the screenplay dilute whatever intrigue there could have been. On the other hand, there are some hilarious things that occur throughout. Erotic thrillers can veer into some campiness. Deep Water veers there. I'm just going to say two things: snails and Tracy Letts. You have to see it to believe it. It doesn't make sense, but it does become comical. Ultimately, Deep Water is a predictable movie that doesn't provide the sexiness or thrills that should overflow in an erotic thriller. The movie has very few sexy moments and there are some laughs to be had, but the story doesn't really make any sense. Nevertheless, you might watch this one if you 2 hours to kill, so get your handful of popcorn and dive in.

I vant to vatch Morbius (Transylvanian accent). Welcome back, Streamers. This weekend we caught the release of the long delayed Morbius. Sony vs. Marvel? What production do we have here with a Spiderman character that make his big screen debut? Yes, it's that origin story we've all been clamoring for. That tale of Dr. Michael Morbius, a biochemist with a rare blood disease, who attempts to cure his ailment using DNA from vampire bats. His experiment takes an unexpected turn causing him to be infected with vampirism. **** hijinks ensue or something like that. First, I'm not really sure where this will fit in the MCU universe or if it should, which is crazy considering the planning and storytelling that Kevin Feige and the MCU have done for the last 20 years. I don't know what to say, but there's an obvious imbalance between the production companies - each with their own agendas. There are so many holes or not enough explanations for portions of the movie. For example, Morbius clearly has powers but in most "powered" movies, the character takes some time to figure out how to use the powers. There were times where they hinted at the power but Morbius already figured it out without even trying. Sure, he's supposedly a genius but flying is always a struggle for every character who flies. He just gets it right away in front of a subway train about to hit him? COME ON SAHN. It's not the biggest issue but there are consistent situations throughout this movie that you have to think, "why did that happen or how did it happen so easily?" The visual effects and editing is probably the only place where this movie truly succeeds. Morbius as an anti-hero/villain of Spider-Man's exceeds his movie in one fashion. Where Spidey has his peter tingle, the MCU has really struggled to visualize that for the fans. Here, the producers were like we have to hit a homerun with this. I agree that they knocked this echolocation/bat sense out of the park. I mean they did so well with it that they actually go to the well too many times with it. S2S: Official Rating Scale Long story short, if this is a MCU movie... this isn't their best quality. If this is a Sonyverse movie, then this is a subpar movie that is par the course. Morbius looks good and has the bells and whistles but the substance is lacking. There's a lack of understanding where this movie fits into the MCU or the "Sonyverse". The movie is entertaining but grab a handful of popcorn and watch this movie when it eventually comes to a streaming service. Just like the delays it took for this movie to come out, viewers should delay to see this flick and save their money.

What's up, Streamers? It feels like there have been more streaming options this month than theater options. Once The Batman came out, I guess no studios wanted to put any competition out there. Until this weekend, that is. The Lost City opened in theaters bringing comedy, romance, action, adventure and the return of Sandra Bullock. Here's how it went. The Lost City is exactly what you might assume it is from the trailers. Sandra Bullock stars as Loretta Sage, a widowed, best-selling romance novelist who is releasing what may be her final novel. Channing Tatum stars as Alan, the cover model for Loretta's romance novels, who is riding high on the fame and worried about it coming to an end. When a mysterious billionaire kidnaps Loretta to assist him in locating a treasure, Alan goes to great lengths to rescue her. Hijinks and a little romance might ensue. It's a romantic comedy. It's an action and adventure story. The story itself is in no way innovative and you know exactly where it is going the entire time. Therefore, it all succeeds or fails on the strength of the cast, particularly the chemistry between Bullock and Tatum. For the most part, The Lost City succeeds. The leads do have chemistry. It's not necessarily romantic chemistry, but you believe that Loretta and Alan would grow to enjoy each other. There is some good banter back and forth, but not all of the jokes land. Some of that chatter gets a little tiresome. There's really good physical comedy from all of the actors and that keeps the movie chugging along. Plus, there are standouts throughout the cast as Daniel Radcliffe, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and Brad Pitt all have their moments. It seems like everyone got the memo to just have fun in this movie. Brad Pitt definitely understood the assignment. He steals every scene that he's in. He's very funny and weird and charming. The producers definitely got their money's worth by cast Mr. Pitt. Ultimately, The Lost City is a fun movie that's not trying too hard to reinvent the wheel. You already know where you're going, so you might as well have fun with it. Is this a rush out and see it movie? Probably not, but it's good enough for a matinee viewing. Get your bowl of popcorn and have some laughs.