spongeswift

Miss Americana gives us our biggest unfiltered look of Taylor Swift yet. It was amazing to see her go from a twangy girl from Pennsylvania trying to make it big to an intelligent icon that won't back down from taking a stance. It felt natural and personal. Some documentaries come off forced and fake while this one feels like Taylor living her everyday life with a camera following her. Some clips seemed a little too jumbled and short but overall it was an amazing film. I only wish that she would've made it a little bit longer, she could've easily had made this 2 hours long if she gave all of the elements in this film more time. Also, Only The Young the song that plays over the credits is very good and is something that will stay on your playlist for quite awhile.

Cats is not as bad as the critics say it is, but it has obvious issues. While yes in the beginning I did not think this thing was gonna go well, I was at the verge of tears because of how much laughter I was trying to hold back when I first saw the CGI fur. Every actor in this movie thought they were in a different movie. Jennifer Hudson/Francesca Hayward played it too seriously while Rebel Wilson/James Corden were just too comedic and light hearted. While the first two I mentioned did great, the ladder not so much. Rebel Wilson's song was so humiliating and overly sexual that I was laughing AT the film. The mice were so creepy and the roaches were revolting. James Corden did ok but his comedy was a little bit off. Idris Elba was very strong and seemed like an effective "villain." Just leave on the coat Macavity. Taylor Swift had the best performance of the movie visually. Her song was dazzling and so visually pleasing. Her light British accent was nice and her voice was angelic yet strong. I just think that her and Macavity lacked chemistry, Their relationship (maybe???) should've been explored much more. Memory was so vocally amazing and JHud was a powerhouse. Francesca Hayward's Beautiful Ghosts (Taylor Swift penned) was well "beautiful" and helped furthered the story better than any song in the film. Overall this film was solid but character development was sparse and some of the cats were severely under used (Taylor Swift.)

Frozen 2 not only tops its predecessor but it does so easily. Yes it's music may not be as earwormy as the first soundtrack but it's music is used so cleverly and impactfully. Olaf is as funny as ever with not one joke failing and even has a somewhat catchy song. The movie started off warmly but you could feel the metaphorical storm brewing which was a nice touch. Kristoff is as worthless as ever though, only being likeable in his solo "Lost In The Woods" which I even thought was a little too corny. Anna is the most important as ever though, she impacts the story in very unique and big ways. She had to make tough decisions even if it was risky or seemed wrong. She truly feels like a peer to Elsa now and not the powerless sister. Yes there are some shortcomings for sure, I think we just didn't see enough character development with the new human characters. Brunei though, he may be the best new addition to a sequel like ever, not gonna lie. He's cute, powerful, and funny. Overall this movie is a whole lot of fun, it isn't perfect but it's the most eye catching animated movie I've ever seen and has a meaningful depth filled plot.

This movie bugs me more and more as I continue to think about, sure It's entertaining but it plays off like a housewives show and while yes that may be eye popping and extremely gripping it is just not a good plotline. It feels rushed and too Aurora centric. Angelina Jolie's Maleficent is incredibly underused. But still I'd recommend watching this, it's interesting, entertaining, and at times leaves you with your head scratching. Even if it's a hot mess from beginning to end.

Toy Story 4 is a swell adventure that may be a little hard to fully digest. This was the first film where we got to see Bonnie living with Andy's past toys and it felt a little dry if not disappointing. Not seeing Woody lead the pack was a little disappointing. But I did love Bonnie's other not showed before toys that Woody interacted with! And along with that this becomes the first film out in the series to backseat characters like Buzz and Jessie almost entirely. They felt like they were just shoved in because of how iconic they were. When Bonnie made Forky it was instant magic. I just loved Tony Hale as Forky and the jokes. Boy did I laugh out loud to some of Forky's quips. When they arrived at the carnival I instantly loved the setting. The thrift store was very cool and the carnival was so hyper realistic. Now did I love the new toys here? I can't say I ever loved or connected with Gabby Gabby but I can say I enjoyed the rest of them. Duke Kaboom's back story wasn't as compelling as Jessie's but it added stakes to his small inclusion in this adventure. Ducky and Bunny were great, they formed as comedic reliefs and they did make me laugh multiple times. Now do I consider Bo Peep new? No. But her storyline and persona has changed enough to be discussed. I like How Giggle is now her sidekick, it's cute and her sheep had such a good inclusion. I did think Bo Peep seemed a little cynical in the beginning but I started to like her more and more towards the end. The large adventure in the carnival/thrift store was so breathtaking and funny that it helped mend the disappointments I had with the first act. But boy does the 3rd act swing you off your feet. It was a surprise I saw coming but it still hit me like a bullet train emotionally. It really took what happened in Toy Story 3 and multiplied it, even if it wasn't as well executed. Overall this film is a great addition to the franchise but still missed the mark from past Toy Story films.

This movie was decent. I liked the characters even if the plot was very cliche and done before. Chloe was so enjoyable and Max/Duke's stork ark was interesting and heartwarming. Snowball though... I get it he's the cliche cute but sharp character but come on, did you have to come up with something so off the wall and tacky. He could've existed in this movie in a much better way. Overall the film was mildly enjoyable. I think it's one of the few Illumination "stand outs."

Illumination's three way split storylines don't work. In this movie I found myself getting so bored, what made these characters work was being together and without that I just was not satisfied. Tiffany Haddish's voice work is super good but she barely had enough time to shine, I felt the same way with Chloe a recurring character. Overall I think the way the 3 storylines tied together was lousy and rushed. Good characters took the backseat to lousy ones like Kevin Hart's Snowball. At least Harrison Ford did good.

Elton John is a musical legend and he had so much potential to have an unbeatable biopic but a lot of its potential was wasted in musical numbers. The exploration of his sexuality and substance abuse was so magical that it gave me chills but some of the film, especially the beginning felt way too much like a Disney musical. I did like some of these musical scenes but I would've preferred if half of them weren't there. Taron Egerton played the role so beautifully and gave Elton's discography such a smooth twist. Overall this movie is average, It's flaws hurt a lot of the beautifully executed parts.

Aladdin may have some issues in terms of pacing and character development but Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, and especially Will Smith made this movie such a gem. I think it had a very slow start, I got a little bored but when Will Smith's Genie came on the screen, I knew I was in for an amazing flik. Jasmine's voice is so pure and powerful but her strength comes in her vulnerability. She takes some of the issues of that time head on with perfect musical scenes. The Genie wasn't a vocal powerhouse and neither was Aladdin but their voices were good enough to get a pass. It was a very long movie (2 hours) but it still ended very quickly. This movie surely isn't perfect but with charming music and great acting, it's worth your time.

Detective Pikachu is a good movie, but sure it has it's issues. The beginning scene seemed to set up what would be something big, you could simply tell. I still feel that his delivery in the beginning wasn't believable or very sensitive. The weight of the journey that they were going on wasn't apparent until Detective Pikachu showed up, which I think really puts a damper on Justice Smith's performance. Ryan Reynolds on the other hand shows the delicacy of the circumstance with comedy (what he's the best at.) Justice instead comes off in a more negative and immature way which was a script issue. The part where they talk and reflect on what happened gave me chills, Justice's acting really only worked when Ryan Reynolds was there to pump some optimism into him. Kathryn does a great job as Lucy Stevens, she really pushes that small reporter and a big pond brand that's optimism always shines through. Also her Psyduck is perfect and Pikachu and his' interactions are pure gold. Mr Mime was a disgrace though, his scenes may have been funny but his awful and hideous character design had me more nauseous than anything. It's third act is really where things pick up. Mewtwo is so "present" and "bold" that you can feel the fear in some of these characters when he nears. Also this is the act where you can really appreciate the world building, it's so beautiful and gigantic. But the part where I nearly shed a tear was a scene that featured Bulbasaur, it really gave me the chills. Overall I think the script may have been a little flawed, but the Pokemon (why we're at this movie) were fantastic. Ryan Reynolds' Pikachu is really what made this movie so charming and memorable. But not even his character can escape some flaws which all lie in the ending.

Avengers Endgame is the most jaw dropping movie I have ever seen. Not only because of what unfolds but really because of how it unfolds. It's not only ambitious, it has so much heart that people that haven't even connected to these characters might shed a tear over their hardships. Tony Stark was great as always, the Hulk became as likeable as ever, Black Widow shocked me, and Captain America did good. I think a real standout is Captain Marvel though. Her power was so brute that it gave me goosebumps but her vulnerability shined through and made me emotionally involved with what she was doing. Thor though... Overall I thought this movie was really worth the decade wait.

Avengers Infinity War has a feeling of surrealness to it. This was the first half to what they were working up to for 10 YEARS. It not only delivers amazing SFX but it delivers a gut wrenching story and proves how Marvel is the king of comic book movies.

Spider-Man Homecoming is one of those feel good popcorn movies even if the plot of the movie is lacking wide scale elements. Peter Parker played that pinnacle dumb kid with good intentions plot point and it worked for the most part. I really enjoyed this movie for what it was and that was a popcorn movie.

There are just those movies that are good, but you in particular cannot like, Doctor Strange is that movie for me. I am not a fan of Benedict Cumberbatch so my expectations weren't high but this still just wasn't a movie for me. I thought the first act was pretty good but it went downhill from there for me. This is easily my least favorite Marvel movie even if I would consider it better than most objectively.

Ant-Man just isn't great. I went into this movie with an open mind but my lower expectations still weren't matched. But that end fighting scene redeemed much of the movie's boring elements. It's not bad, just painfully under average.

This movie matches if not succeeds vol. 1, it's colorful and expansive. Overall this film takes a lot of the aspects the first one built upon and blasts off with them. My only criticism was that the characters split up for much of the movie, when clearly the movie is best when they are together.

This movie is pure joy. It starts up the series in not only an incredibly climatic way but in a comedic way. Bradley Cooper truly shines as Rocket. Some of Peter's moments felt a little forced and not appealing. Maybe that's me and my dislike for Chris Pratt even though he still does have redeeming moments as Starlord.

Sexism CANNOT break the sheer beautiful message that this film exudes. Brie Larson's acting shined throughout the movie's duration and once the 2nd act started she met the heights of Tony Stark in this film but in the beginning she was giving me Thor vibes without much direction. I think the movie still had obvious problems and I think her power could hurt her in the future since she's just so powerful and creating fair fights will be hard. The final fight was more emotionally charged with less action. Overall Captain Marvel is a popcorn movie that stands out in the Marvel universe.

It's about time we stop judging remakes based on their original counterparts... Disney's new Dumbo recreation is not only a technological marvel, it's a precious tale with heart and deep elements. The message of the original film still has failed to been heard and many horrible acts of torture exist on earth. This is why I was not mad about the plot pretty much being the same as it's animated counterpart. Anyways let's judge the actual movie for what it is. The film began pretty poorly to me, it's lousy editing and slow start discouraged me but that first flight gave me chills. The way they treated Dumbo's mom made my blood boil which means they really put shrill and real life elements into this flik. Danny Devito (Max Medici) and Nico Parker (Milly Farrier) were huge standouts to me. The heart and devotion they put into their characters was undeniable. Most of the other actors did amazing as well. It was hard to imagine them pulling off the dialogue as the original doesn't have much of it, but they do. But the third act is where the movie really peaked. I couldn't take my eyes away. It was so magnificent but horrifying at the same time. Overall this movie was good, the first 2 lousy acts were made up for with a magnificent finale.

The title should've spoiled it for me but yes Ralph doesn't only break the internet, He wrecks EVERYTHING! The movie's first 2 acts went along pretty good even if there wasn't much behind the gags but when it made it into its final act things started to turn for the worse. I really liked Gal Gadot's and Taraji P. Henson's roles, Shank and Yesss respectively. They both supported the movie but didn't take too much screen time away from Ralph and Vanellope. But that "Slaughter Race" game is what causes the 3rd act to fall so sharply. I think it was dragged on too far. It was almost 2 hours and that is entirely too long for a movie with not that much subject matter. It moved so quick in the first two acts that it's slow down in the third act was so much worse than it should've been. They also really had no idea what to do with Felix and Calhoun who have such a brief and non consequential addition to the story. The Disney part was cool but it was not very prevalent. At least if you watched the trailers. They shoved it down your throats and gave you little new things to discover. The princess's inclusion was very well sought out though. Overall Ralph and Vanellope work better as a duo which is why the third act fell so hard. Leaving the arcade was not the sweetest choice after all. It was gloriously pointless but hey at least this is gonna be a 2010s time capsule!

Wreck It Ralph is a heartfelt fun time. The movie starts out undesirable but when it makes it to the 2nd act things start to pick up. The inclusion of Vanellope was really great and she is really what saves it from not standing out in the crowd. Ralph's behavior towards her is questionable but his traits are pretty much always caring yet destructive. Overall there are many fantastic parts of the movie that really did help save Disney out of it's rut.

"The Grinch" falls in line with "The Lorax" in which the movie is good but is dumbed down with childish toilet humor. I think this move doesn't deserve the heat it's getting. It's nice holiday fun and is a slight improvement from the already alright "The Lorax" fronting with Zac Efron and Taylor Swift. Benedict Cumberbatch was a problem for me. I didn't like his voice behind the Grinch. Overall that was a pretty easy pill to swallow. The rest of the movie is fine, but it picked up in the third act. That was a tear jerker which was really uncommon for the quirky Illumination studio. Overall I enjoyed the film mildly but had some gripes that could've been fixed.

Christopher Robin was sweet honey but it's stickiness was a small problem. The characters were so well designed. Except for Pooh, he bordered the line of being cute and creepy. This movie made me laugh, made me almost cry, and reminded me that life is better when it's simple.

Maybe I thought this movie was just average because I had such low expectations? Yes this is literally Wreck It Ralph but that movie was good so, so was the main plot of this movie. Yes Disney did it way better and made Sony's version look painfully bad. Yes this movie is still not good but it isn't terrible. It's mediocre just like most of Sony Animation's films.

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation is the biggest movie cliche we've seen in a while. Am I surprised? Nope. Am I disappointed that they threw the character development out the window? 100% for sure yes. Now the movie isn't bad per say. It's just painfully average compared to the spunk and creativity of the last two films. Now this time Mavis takes on the obsessive daughter trait. But I'm not saying that Drac doesn't deserve it for meddling in her life for the past 2 movies either. Overall this film isn't bad but if you give us another one please don't make it about some sort of dumb trope we've seen a thousand times before.

Hotel Transylvania 2 takes a turn for the better in the series. Yeah it still has issues but it still is a good film. It's more lighthearted and funny than the first film that's for sure. Again the only thing dragging the film down his Drac's and Mavis's toxic relationship. You'd think that he would just let his daughter live her life at this point. I digress, this flik was funny and heartwarming and doesn't deserve it's critical wrath.

Hotel Transylvania is a good popcorn film that takes a dark turn. I think it's really reckless how Drac treats Mavis for making a choice in love. I honestly can't defend its flaws. It's jokes are the only thing that can sometimes deflect them. Overall the movie was not good or bad it was just mean spirited fun.

The First Purge drags out way too long but is still a good popcorn film. This for sure isn't the best purge but it is better than the first two at least. I can admire some of it's actors and some of its plot points but that's about it.

Brave is ambitious and that may mean that it takes a lot of missteps but it still manages to be a decent movie. Merida is such a strong character and yes she may do some horrible things, she still is one of Pixar's most intricately made characters. This movie may have it's mistakes but also has breathtaking peaks even if they don't last for long.

Monster's Inc is one of Pixar's most wildly creative movies. I do have some knit picks but overall the movie is great. Mike, Sully, and Boo really are good main characters while support characters are also strong. Overall this movie is just great, It may get a little choppy going into the 2nd and 3rd act but they did fix themselves pretty quickly.

This movie isn't bad by any means BUT it was such a disappointment compared to the first one that it tarnishes the film's charm. Overall the baseline idea wasn't bad but a sequel would've been better and really was more requested. But anyways I thought this film was ok. Mike and Sully's group of friends was really charming and the "villain" is really well executed. Overall this film may be a disappointment but it is still a pretty ok movie to me.

This movie is pretty underrated. Yes while there are gripes that I understand, I still strongly disagree that Antz being released before this in an attempt to think Pixar copied as a reason for disliking this movie. It has fun themes and I love the ant colony. Yes some parts my not reach the heights of other Pixar films but it still is a good movie.

Wall-E isn't a go to movie for me but I understand why it is for SO many people. Overall a robot slowly and hopelessly trying to clean our planet while all of our overweight citizens just sit in space and live the life of their calorie filled dreams is just not for me. The endearing love story between Wall-E and Eve is cute, it really can't save the movie for me. Overall it's not unwatchable for me and yes I still do mildly enjoy the film but it's just not close to other pixar films for me.

Ratatouille takes an idea that is pretty vile and turns it into a charming adventure. Remy the rat is one of Pixar's most ambitious creations as him being a rat alone makes him unpopular. But Pixar was able to turn a rat and a stupid guy violating many sanitary codes into one of Pixar's best films. The score down to the environments are created with such craft and aesthetic blending. Overall this movie is a fantastic joy there's nothing I can say bad about it.

The Good Dinosaur is stunning but... Wait there's not much more to say other than that it's pretty? Overall this movie is so mediocre that it becomes bad based off of that. It's not "bad" but for Pixar this lack of creative ideas is "bad." It may not have tremendous problems like Cars 2 but it's even harder to watch.

The Incredibles 2 lives up to the original but does it surpass it. I still think the first one was better but this one is so much more fun. The first installment was more **** movie but the second installment is fun and surprising. This movie picks up right where the first one ended. Elastigirl is a really good super hero dare I say even more interesting than Mr. Incredible (it's close). That meant Bob had to stay home to watch the kids. This is by far the show stealer. Jack Jack takes the spotlight here. Bob trying to deal with his new powers is amazing! Also watch out for something we saw in the movie poster! It really is a delightful treat. Sadly Edna Mode does not have as much screen time as she did in the first movie but all of her lines are absolutely hilarious. The Screenslaver was an awesome villain. It was cryptic and creepy and the fighting scenes were so creative. Overall this movie builds up to it's grand finale which is good and bad (for reasons that you'll know when you watch) but it was a funny and action packed ride that really was worth the 14 year wait! Ready for The Incredibles 3 ALREADY!

The Incredibles is easily some of Pixar's best work. It's story is so serious and risk taking that, that alone makes it a very good movie. You can just feel the tension in Bob's and Helen's marriage and you can feel the depression of Bob not being able to be a Super. Edna Mode steals the show though. She is funny, fassionale, and blunt. Syndrome is my only gripe. He is much too cheesy to be an amazing villain in my mind. Overall The Incredibles is one of Pixar's most serious and at the same time funniest flicks out there.

The Purge Election gave me exactly what I wanted with some issues. This is by far the best installment. It's story pulls me in far and it had an emotional ending. Overall I just thought it was a decent movie!

This is a fan favorite for many but I see so many issues in this movie that it makes my stomach turn. It's story is bleek. Overall I just hate this installment and I have many reasons for hating it.

The Purge is a good movie but it has so many lacking elements and possible plots that it hurts my head. They took a story that could be revolutionary and made it basic and vanilla. It has really good elements but overall it has many elements that are bad and just way too simple.

Frozen is just an unpleasant movie. It isn't fun, it's a trope we've all heard before and it's villain is weak. Kristoff feels as if he doesn't belong in the movie and Anna is constantly being overshadowed by the silverlining of this movie that is Elsa and the comic reliefs that are Olaf and Sven.

Coco is Pixar's best movie since Inside Out (2015). I was AMAZED by this film! The world building up to the border was made so nicely. There are some minor flaws like the parents really being boring characters but overall it's perfect. Dante was a joy and Miguel's voice was flawless. This film makes me want to celebrate The Day of The Dead so badly. This film was just such a joy to watch.

Pitch Perfect 2 is a big mess that somehow manages to pick itself up and cross the finish line in ok shape. The jokes are shot at you rapidly and yes a lot of them are not funny but the ones that are, are very good. The ending was so nicely done, but it still wasn't able to really exceed the first film in any ways.

Pitch Perfect is an endearing adventure. It's for sure a one off movie though. It didn't need any sequels. There were many bad things about the movie but overall it was still a really fun time.

Pitch Perfect 3 was the first not so good movie in the franchise. As it comes together in the end (like the all do) it's 2/3's are just annoying in every way. I really hope this is the last one in the series because it's wildly showing how retired the series is. It's soundtrack is bad, it's riff off is bad. The only good part was the end and for a huge fan like me it was kind of emotional.

Best movie in the series. Catching Fire managed to take the good things in the first movie and make them better and basically threw away all of the bad problems and brought in some new ones like the movies feeling too empty.

Well The Hunger Games is just a good movie. Catnis was a very strong character and usually movies based on books aren't great but The Hunger Games succeeded almost as flawlessly as Harry Potter. It was different from the books but not too different which was fresh because in my opinion I don't want to pay a ticket to go to a movie just to watch the book. Overall The Hunger Games was a fun adventure but some characters were just downright unlikeable.

Despicable Me 3 or let's just keep making these movies because it's the only guaranteed hit at our studio? But you can already see fatigue setting in. The US has consistently been hating the franchise more and more since 2013. The movie overall was pretty stale. It can't beat the 1st or 2nd movie and it only manages to outpace Minions by a smidge. It's 4 plots are all jumbled and rush. Some moments are endearing and cute but overall the movie just isn't good.

Up... The movie that has the good 10 minute tear jerker at the start and then quickly loses it's mojo. BUT the movie is still decent after the beginning 10 but still it's good fun and pretty after the good part. So it isn't a perfect movie but it still is enjoyable.

The Lorax was a wild ride of creative and horribly bad elements. The Zac Efron, Danny Devito Betty White, and Huge Pop Star Taylor Swift's flick was good in some parts but overall the movie lacks in many ways. It's plot is really gloomy and unpleasant and the villain is way too cheesy. Overall I thought the movie was ok but nothing insanely memorable.