umaumai

What a monumental pile of ****. That might be some of the worst acting, dialogue and aimless plot I have ever seen from a movie that took itself seriously. There was no joy and no fun to be found anywhere in this Macguffin filled slog. There is also no character development and way too many characters do so if they tried.

Total cluster f that jumps around, has no idea where it’s driving and has the nerve to try and steer to a sappy ending with a montage of moments near minutes of just past footage from its own movie. God Sony is bad at this.

It has its issues, but I found it very entertaining and had a good time watching it. There are minor plots and secondary story lines that don't get fully fleshed out, but in the end the only thing I cared enough to think about is the overwhelming amount of characters that are in this movie. For a continuation of a torch passing movie this could have been done a little tidier. There is one character that gets most of the focus in this film and while I think it was a good choice there should have been equal time given to another character who is just as key to solving the big bad issue in the end. Also, not as funny as I hoped it would be. If you like the Ghostbusters cartoon I'd check it out. It felt like a long episode of that. If you are a diehard Ghostbusters fan that is sour at everything that isn't the original then why are you reading this?

Did Snyder walk into a Games Workshop and say, “I can steal this property and blend it with Harry Potter, Last of Mohicans, Seven Samurai, a little bit of Independence Day and just a dash of what's in theaters right now with some Dune?" I read an interview where he had the balls to say that the “Snyder R-rated Cut” was a completely different movie after saying that no one asked him to make a PG13 version. Netflix and Snyder are a match made in heaven if you like poor, unremarkable and barely cared for CGI that matches its film's pacing and direction. My one positive is that I'm positive I won't bother with the sequel. A few of the actors, very few, knew what kind of campy movie they were in and actually gave a not too bad performance, but honestly it's just one plot point to the next with very little driving anyone to be compelled to stick around for any reason. That goes for characters and audience. If you're morbidly curious as to what makes a bad film, then this is a great place to check that out.

It is totally okay that this movie is not getting a lot of love here. I had a lot of fun while watching this. I think I liked it more than both "Quantumania" and "Wakanda Forever" combined. (Two of my least favor Marvel Movies.) There were a few great set pieces and irreverent moments that gleefully moved the plot on for my tastes. I don't have a lot of love for some of the main characters, but I felt like they all had good development as well as relatable reasons for me not to have a connection to them in previous installments. I loved the action in this. The fight scenes are tighter, closer in camera and have more of the intimate feel akin to old school martial arts films. Action sequences moved with better, well paced choreography unlike the bigger action set pieces most Marvel movies have theses days. There are tropes galore in this movie, but it's Marvel/Disney and that's going to happen in any movie telling a simple moral story. Carol Danvers' actions prior to this movie had consequences and I like the way all of that plays out. You aren't hit over the head with it leaving it to the audience to decide how to feel about what was done. I do think that they miss the mark on some of the narrative, but I had such a good time watching because it felt like a return to form for Nick Fury after whatever "Secret Invasion" was. If you like the Spider-Man team up in "No Way Home" I say that this was somewhat similar and might entertain you for it's run time.

I really don’t like when characters pay no attention to what other characters have said on screen. Normally I would absolutely hate a movie where the dialogue is near constantly and simultaneously coming out of every actors mouth that is on currently on screen making a cacophony of “white noise.” Worse, I generally despise when so much of the dialogue is being delivered with such dramatic weight as if it was being etched in stone. For some reason none of that dissuade me for both watching and enjoying this. This is definitely a film where you can tell how much the actors enjoy the work and excel at what they are giving in their performances to a point that I got swept up and brought along. There are some genuinely creepy moments and some masterful effects. It’s so well filmed and the staging/sets are amazing. The music is also just fantastic. I’m trying to think of something that this reminds me of, but it’s too grounded for it to be anything I’d like to compare it too. There isn’t a lot of humor really and normally that would put me off as well. The only thing is I felt like it over stays it’s welcome because of that. I’d recommend this if you’re in the mood for a mildly abstract drama with a good narrative.

I don't seem to like a lot of what A24 creates. That doesn't make them bad and I can take a step back and see that a lot of people enjoy their films. However, "The Menu" as a work of art seems to miss the point that within its own premise that it brings up about the studio that created it. Can you smell your own farts to a point where you've gone too far and made something without questioning "what gives you the right?" People are allowed to not like your work. People can forget your work. Once it's put out in public people can come within inches of emotionally abusing any creation that you have made for their own gain. All of that said I'm going to say that this film didn't go far enough if that is what they wanted to do. They don't really set anything up and it really doesn't have much in terms of development for any character. I wasn't very shocking and you could see so many "twists" coming from a mile away. The characters here are all 2 dimensional and while they have a veneer of being interesting they are at best a cliche of what someone who has only lived in Hollywood could come up with. I can't recommend this one for any reason, but if you liked it I would check out the movie "Chef" with Jon Favreau. I think it has a decent representation of folk who appreciate food culture.

I can see a lot of reviews here are coming from a place that has nothing to do with the quality of the movie or the morality that it presents. It may be that fear of the reviewer’s young ones seeing something that they don’t approve of is leading to lower review scores. That’s okay. At some point their young ones won’t be young anymore and will have to deal with situations and difficulties that this movie presented. In all it doesn’t peach anything and has a strong sense of what is right in terms of killing things that you have dominion over. It shows the expense that struggling over energy resources can take on your environment when you are only focusing on how you want to live your life no matter how wasteful your energy consumption can be. It is very whimsical, thrilling and sci-if/fantasy packed. I love how original it is. The characters are somewhat one dimensional, but overall they suit the story. It’s not perfect, but I think that there is something fun and enjoyable from the excellent performances given by the cast. A lot of the humor falls flat, but if you like sci-if I’d recommend giving this a shot.

Though it has a lot of clichés, it makes up for it with tons of atmosphere and great acting. I wasn’t entirely sure where it was going, but I had a few guesses early on what the main twist was going to be. That said it was still very entertaining and worth watching. They could have shaved a some of the scenes down as it did start to over stay it’s welcome a bit. There were several character choices that didn’t make a lot of sense near the end that made this thriller not as thrilling as well. I’d recommend it if your in the mood for something more psychological, but don’t bring the kids. There are several sex acts the play out on screen that would leave an impression. Update - After giving it a day to think of this I've lowered my score from a 5 to a 3. It ****. It's derivative to a fault. I don't hate it and I think it's still worth watching, but more to understand what not to do with your reveals and character development.

For me this fell really short. I think this is my least favorite Marvel film on first viewing. I've warmed up to the first Dr. Strange, the first Marvel film I didn't really like, but I'm not sure what to look for in this one to help the entertainment or enjoyment factor. I enjoyed watching this less than "Thor Dark World." The motivation driving the plot forward for every character is really weak, except for the Queen. That angle was really good and I liked that she didn't pull any punches. There are so many pointless ancillary characters. Remember Martin Freeman's CIA character from the last movie? Well yay because he'll be on screen not really doing much of anything with any of the main cast and just slightly nudging the plot forward...maybe. There's a lot of that. There's a lot of dealing with loss, real loss, but without the care that felt like went into crafting how it was handled in the last Marvel film. There isn't any of the dealing with loss with humor that is fairly standard in the MCU and that was too much for me. I need that release. I didn't expect it to be fun, but the lead played by Latitia Wright just didn't carry the movie. Angela Basset was amazing and so was Lupita Nyong'o. Danai Gurira also ruled, but so much of her redemption arch is just brush under the rug. I don't think Namor was a good villain here which is too bad. He is an interesting character and it's great that he's in the MCU. In the end it just felt so very cliche to me. If you enjoyed it that is awesome. The people with me got very emotional for all of the tribute to Chadwick. He is a big part of what made the MCU so great and fresh again with the first movie and all of his appearances in the other movies. I'll watch it again and how to find something more then what I missed the first time around. For right now I can't recommend this to people who deal with tragedy with comedy or levity. There just isn't any of that to be found here. And really, THAT'S how you use Lake Bell? C'mon

I didn’t know a lot about Black Adam going into the movie, but I’d heard and seen a lot of reviews as they have been hard to avoid. The reviews for Black Adam here on Metacritic are definitely a case of when the critics and users don’t agree. I think the users are more accurate this time. I’ve even read a few were I’m not sure if they actually saw the movie. It’s a great COMIC movie. Probably one of the best that WB and DC have made. If you go in expecting anything more, you’ll likely be disappointed. There is so much here that was fresh. I like a lot of the action sequences, but I loved that they put both feet completely in the antihero aspect. Black Adam doesn’t care if he hurts or kills anyone and I believed The Rock in that role. Now, a lot of the plot was easy to see coming, but there were a few twist that I didn’t see coming. Like a lot of these movies there are annoying third act issues. As the plot progresses you can tell that it’s not ending so the decision to immediately undo what they just accomplished is frustrating. Most of the acting is fine, but there are some strange choices from the “people” of the region and the kid. I think this is more of a director issue possibly not know what they wanted at the time of filming or maybe were the movie was going. All of this said, if you liked Aquaman I think that you will enjoy this.

There is a lot to like here. The story and setting is held up by some solid acting from Javon Walton, the kid and real heart of this movie. I'd also say that this is a perfect role for Stallone. The FX, production and people playing the villains don't always hold up, but with the moral at the core of the movie I'd say it's all serviceable. There are a lot troupes, but the superpowers on display, and their drawbacks, are kind of unique and cool. I'm not sure at this point if I'm just really great at figuring out what movies are going to throw at me or if it's all telegraphed, but I saw all of the twists coming five minutes into the movie. At first I wasn't sure if it made a difference in the movie, but the more I think about it I holds the morals on display in a different light so I kind of like what they chose to do. Other than some swearing and one or two major acts of violence, I think that this is actually a super hero movie that is definitely okay for the younger kids. It is a bleak world that they depict, but I think it's worth checking out.

This is a really great movie all the way up to when you see the titular “Black Phone.” It becomes predictable after that and I just started counting down the minutes to the stories obvious conclusion. Because of that I didn’t feel the relief that you do at the end of something like this, but I’m not holding it against the plot or writing. While there’s a lot about this that doesn’t quite pan out because you can see the twists coming from a mile away, there is a lot about the movie that should be praised. The acting is unreal good. Everyone is so goddamn good in their roles. Everyone. The setting and pacing that they create is very good. Most of the effects are chilling when they need to be, but there was one sequence near the end that I’m not sure should have been there. It’s shows one of the victims in a very poor light and if examined close enough makes what’s happened to him morally ambiguous to a degree. The most frustrating thing is that you will not gain any knowledge of why the things driving the plot forward are happening. There is almost zero character development except for maybe the lead and his father. For that alone I’d put this movie at a 6, but the acting is just too good to not give it a 7. All said, I enjoyed my time watching it.

The only thing that really stuck out for me was the animal CGI isn't very well done. I'm not sure if it was a budget thing or they just didn't care, but the Predator and everything about how this one functioned ruled. Some of the best art design all around for everyone in the cast and especially the Predator. On the positive side the movie does not overstay its welcome. Sadly though it was over before I felt it really started. There is even a key moment that can be missed in the animated end credits that explains how the flintlock pistol makes its way through the ages. (Because it recaps the movie it's an almost blink and you'll miss it moment right as that ends.) The pacing and narrative is done very nicely as this is a really great example of showing verses telling the story. However, this is one film where I felt like a little more dialogue would have been welcome. There were a few confusing moments near the end of the film that I had to guess as to what was happening. If you are a fan of the Predator franchise then I don't think this disappoints.

It’s an interesting idea and I enjoyed watching it, but it’s basically a near beat for beat retelling of “Jaws.” There are some interesting, worthwhile and excellent differences that set a good foundation for a somewhat creepy beginning, but once the “rules” are established I realized that it just doesn’t hold up. It’s not an easy movie to describe, but it’s not a horror movie. It has horror elements not unlike most of M. Night’s work and who’s movies this reminded me of. I think the acting over all is not as good as his last two films and something felt really off with the pacing and lack of character development. The characters are fairly static in how they behave throughout the movie. I think the casting was great, but the polar opposite attitudes of the two leads didn’t fit the tone of the movie for me. The very few other characters that populate this movie left me with way to many questions and it was obvious they where mostly devices there to drive that plot/story forward. I didn’t like how parts of the story are introduced. Not everything was clear on my first viewing of this and I think it might make a bit more sense the next time around. There’s very little gore, but what’s there is haunting. With all of that said fans of Peele’s other movies should absolutely check this out. In many aspects it might be my favorite movie of his so far.

This movie seems to be dividing audiences. I’ve read a lot of reviews and it looks like many either love or hate it. There are high stakes here, excellent acting and a villain very complex and compelling for the MCU, so I think it might just come down to what you’re in the mood for whether or not you’ll find any enjoyment watching it. After the last two Marvel movie entries, Spider Man and Doctor Strange, I think some movie goers where looking for something to continue the more serious tone the MCU has had lately - especially here with the heavy material that is being tackled in Love and Thunder. I enjoy the kind of humor Tika brings and I really love how well the MCU Thor character has been developed. I found the more irreverent tone and the jokes to be really refreshing. The deep loss that is at the center of all that is driving the plot forward would have been too much for me personally without the comedy. I really loved this movie and was moved many times from laughter to tears. I also really liked how the film it self seems to be referencing how the Thor movies are becoming more “worthy.” I think Marvel fans, especially people who read the comics, will really like this. Just a heads up - the baddy might be a little much for some of the younger kids, but there is a very silly yet highly empowering moment near the end of the movie for those still a bit scared of the dark. If they can stick it out some might draw inspiration from how kids make their way out of their situation.

This movie has no idea what it wants to be or how many characters are need to be in it to cary the plot. There were so many sub plots that happened that I couldn’t keep up where the movie was going and could barely take in where it had been. I swear at one point I realized that they had “Pitch Meeting” their way of getting out of situations with such “super easy barely and inconvenience” that I gave up and just tuned out the dialogue. That’s when it started to enjoy it. Just the spectacle. It’s too bad because there were a couple of legitimately great ideas that they could have focused on instead of flopping down the next “high stakes problem” that fell flat because there was rarely any tension on screen. Also apparently the CEO of Apple, AKA “Tim Apple” (ha), is now biotech guy. None of that was subtle and I actually liked that. Can’t recommend the movie to fans of the franchise, but kids will enjoy it.

I’ve seen a lot of “films” trying to come off as high art. This was one of the most laborious things I’ve ever watched. I don’t mind the setting, visuals, the FX or the acting, but it needed to be filmed significantly better, and have a less “video” aesthetic, for it to earn how pompous it was coming off. It’s not horrible and at many times it was entertaining and different. However, it was trying way too hard to be different for the sake of being different. It has a story, but it’s more stream of consciousness how it gets from place to place as the plot moves forward. There might be higher meaning in a lot of the dialogue that is spoken, but it’s lost in the silly chanting and antics that are happening in every other scene. I swear it was like a cast of people try to out “Nicolas Cage” the actual Nicolas Cage.

I’ve read some reviews calling this a long episode and I don’t agree. The setup that drives the A plot into the B plot is amazing - and that’s saying something when it comes from a show that hasn’t slumped in over a decode of being on the air. The music is fantastic as usual and the “libretto,” look it up, is flawless. My complaints are that it doesn’t feel long enough. There was no mystery to the mystery and it was too obvious. Don’t get me wrong, there are several jarring or high stakes moments that I didn’t expect, but they somehow fumble these by not putting enough into actually fleshing out the mystery a bit more. If you love the show the movie is a must see. If you’re never seen the show THEN WHY ARE YOU HERE!!! - kidding. It’s still a fun watch and you will get everything going on. They are strong characters and hopefully seeing the movie will make you want to try the show out.

I've seen and heard a lot reviews saying that the movie is entertaining, but disappointing. I didn't have that reaction watching this. I went in not expecting anything and felt like I got the closest thing to a horror movie Disney will ever make. There are some parallels to director Sam Raimi's earlier films with books being at the center of the story. However, they ultimately they come off as little more than macguffins used to drive the plot to develop deeper ideas surrounding loss. Because of the theme of loss there is a lot of character development for Strange and his supporting cast, but Olson's performance as Scarlet Witch really takes center stage for me. The visuals were spectacular and the music, by Danny Elfman, worked very well for its more macabre art design. The only thing that I'd say is this is not for most younger kids. If you wouldn't let them watch a classic slasher flick then this will have moments that are too scary for them.

This movie has reignited my love of film and how to spend a couple of hours with interesting storytelling. It had such great heart and I loved the performances. I loved the setting and how everyone really fit their character. I was really blown away at the places it took me emotionally as well as how silly it was. While somewhat grounded it borders on the absurd in a playful way. I laughed so hard at a scene that takes place in a zoo that now those images are were I’m going to go when I’m down. If you’re into music, have ever been in a band or just want to check out something familiar and at the same time somewhat foreign this was fun.

I really enjoyed this. It was as entertaining, though in a slightly different way, as the first movie in the franchise. It’s more old school Bond film~esque with a reimagining of some of real world people and very real events. The violence was shocking occasionally and the excellent film making definitely helped to execute and lift some of these moments to a high dramatic effect. It’s set during the events of the first world war and it uses this setting and period to perfection with the way it’s reimagined. There are a small misdirections that I didn’t see coming and with it several other interesting twists. The acting and production are really good down to the score and costumes. The only thing that **** is how long we had to wait for this to come out. It’s finally streaming so if you have HBO max this is definitely something you should watch, just don’t bring the kids. There’s a lot of other adult content other then violence.

There are so many great ideas poorly executed here. The script, if there was one, is a mess. To be fair there is a plot, but not much of one. While you can see where things are steering towards there is no sense of closure with many things not ever get explained. There’s not a lot of gore, but the practical special effects are pretty good. So are the most of the creature designs. One of the best aspects going for Black Friday is the mood they set and they get extra points here just from it looking visually like they actual “filmed” it. I like the actors, but I hate the stupid decisions their characters make. Of course that is a standard trope for most horror movies, however this movie there are too many times that someone goes oddly against self preservation. Because of the plot surrounding having to work durning Black Friday and the social commentary in the nature behind the shopping holiday that they are trying to drive home, they miss some key elements and I have to wonder if anyone attached to this movie has ever worked retail. It’s not good or bad and I have no clue who to recommend this to. Bruce Campbell fans?

This movie has its issues, but they are few and forgivable. Some familiar parts of the story are left barely touched and that’s okay. I enjoyed watching this for the most part. Most of that enjoyment comes from the actors carying the movie as every single one embodies their respective roles. There are artistic liberties taken of course, but most feel like they enhance the movie similar to the way that the books are by integrating real wold religious practices and deep ideology. One thing I would warn people about going into viewing it is that it should have been called “Dune: Where Everyone Is Almost Whispering And It’s Hard to Hear A Lot Of What Is Said, But It Doesn’t Matter Because You’ll Get The Gist Of It.” All the a-holes telling me that I needed to go see this in the theater can eat an elephant scrotum because it would have driven me crazy to not have subtitles for a lot of this film without the whispering issue. Another issue I have is that in all of the years of promotional material for this movie not once have I seen reference to the subtitle that comes up at the brief title screen as - “DUNE: PART ONE.” Without that information I would have been very upset with how the movie ends. I like the design of the film, but the pacing and the overall flow is just too slow for my taste. As tense as this movie can get the music is a bit much at times. While the overall score is not bad, it stands out in a big way. A few cues made me laugh out loud as they “mickey mouse” hit and were way too much for even the people watching with me. I don’t think that the work was taken too seriously or that it’s one of those films that “insists on its self,” but for now it just has too much to live up to from previous entries. Even some of the visual effects of the ships looked a little weak here and there. It’s unfortunate, but I found myself checking off the things that had and were to happen instead of enjoying what was being presented as I enjoy the above mentioned previous entries. I’ll definitely give this another viewing, technically a third as I watched it twice already, and I’ll look forward to the next installment. I know the books are HEAVY with detail, I just hope that they chose to do more within the scope of the story instead of drawing out the films runtime with a narrative film style relying on slow motion bravado and too much flash forward inane imagery. Fans of the book should give it a watch and Sci-Fi fans in general will get likely enjoy this first entry from Denis Villeneuve.

I normally start to write my thoughts down about a movie before it even finishes. Mostly so I can keep things fresh in my head, i.e. the use of the score, the acting, the filming etc. Then I can put a review up right out of the gate after I finish watching it. I couldn’t with this. It’s been a little while since I viewed it and I’m still not sure what I think. It’s so greatly atmospheric, evenly paced and well set - but I feel like there is so much missing that could have been added to film without weighing it down. A slight bit more back story or exposition. The decline in the relationship needed more explanation. The idea that the husband was always just “bad” could have been more of a plot point. The position that the audience is put in because of what we’re missing is arbitrarily polarizing. You are either rooting for the lead because they are an unhappy married woman - or - hoping she meets a bad ending because of the path her indiscretions have set her on. You get just enough information to to make a decision as to where you stand and then all hell breaks loose. I don’t know if I liked this or if I could recommend it, but I can tell you I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. It’s gripping and grizzly…and I while I can’t stop thinking about this movie I’m not putting myself through that again.

I’m not sure how I caught the trailer for this movie, but I remember that it made me curious. I checked to see if it was playing on demand and I saw that it was on sale for a low price so I thought I’d give it a shot. I’m very glad I did. It was absolutely engrossing in its plot and utterly stunning in its visuals. While the story is very familiar, it was beautifully set amongst the post-apocalyptic fallout of a total global catastrophe and is told in an unbelievably fresh and comprehensive way. There’s almost a “Water World” vibe here, but it’s paced better with relatively little dialog. You can see where the story is driving to for the most part, but that destination was compelling and a thrilling pleasure to watch unfold. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read or discussed aspects about a film’s cinematography, but ultimately I could only really tell you wether it was good or not. There were several instances while watching this that I legitimately couldn’t tell how they got a shot. Because of that I will likely be viewing this again soon. The acting and actors are just outstanding and it felt like they were really a part of the world being shown. Along with this, the score too was very well done and not intrusively weighing any of the scenes down. While at times it can be a bit of a downer, if you are at all a Sci-Fi fan you should definitely check this out.

While I’m not a big fan of a lot of A24 movies, when I read the announcement for “The Green Knight” I was very excited. I loved “Sword of the Valiant” and the Sean Connery titular cameo and with the little I know of the Gawain mythos I couldn’t wait to see this new version. I’d say that this movie started out with such high promise with great atmosphere, costumes and wildly excellent sets. I would have given it an 8 or higher if it kept the energy it had up to the scene when the Green Knight makes his exit. After that it just goes down hill losing momentum, and half of a point from my score, nearly every 15-20 minutes. For how much the movie “insists on itself” it had nothing to say really. All it does is meander without any meaning till it’s dull end. I guess some viewers could see some parallels in current social politics here and there. However, if the film makers are intentionally doing this here it doesn’t holdup against the backdrop of the Arthurian legend. Alongside that the movie has some awful edits, terrible and unreadable reoccurring title cards and some questionable cinematography. I’m pretty sure I saw several “mistakes” that took me out of the film. Some of which felt like the kind of thing that a film student would have made and left on their thesis for “authenticity.” I’m not sure if the acting was good or bad because I was more bored then anything else by the end. The music and sound design are amazing and yet distracting at the same time. This is one of the times that without the strong score the film would have suffered and you wouldn’t have known what the film markers where trying to achieve. Overall it’s not a soundtrack that I’d be interested in as it barrows heavily from the sources that it aspires to be. I’m glad I watched it and oddly I think that most others will be as well. If anything it’s unique yet inoffensive even when it’s trying to be. For a film set in very tumultuous times and has gruesome tales within it’s own story, it only shows/tells it in the most uninteresting and uninspired way.

I get the comparisons to “John Wick,” but they don’t add up to anything that makes this movie any less entertaining or enjoyable than anything that franchise has put out to date. As a matter of fact, I liked this movie so much more than entire current three chapters of Wick put together. A “style” over “substance” argument can be made because of that. I also felt that, setting aside his character name is Hutch, “Nobody” is a much more relatable movie because the lead character’s life and how that is interestingly portrayed at the start. It’s not a perfect movie. There is only one character that has any story arc and development. That’s not a problem as Hutch is very well fleshed out by Bob Odenkirk, but the real cliché here was the way this was edited. The filming, framing, lighting etc. was fine, but the fast cuts at the top of the film stand out as not being necessary. It was somewhat confusing and did add the the doldrum of the leads hum drum life. I also would have loved to have actual source music cues backing the action when the antagonist was singing the last time. Andy Williams is a good choice, but comes off as an artistic choice that other films have already made and this film is trying to match. I also like this “world” a little more than other mentioned action films as it felt much more grounded. That’s a strange thing to say with all the murders that happen on screen. It’s very violent and has more gore then an average action flick, but it left me with a highly charged sense that I will be watching it again soon. I’d recommend it for anyone who likes explosions and the idea of a mobile mobster 401k.

While there was a lot in the meandering and excessive plot that was weighing it down, this was a pretty entertaining movie. In the end and after reflecting on it I’d say it does all come together, but I can imagine some viewers feeling like they were put through the paces as even I’m not sure what this movie wanted to be. With it’s very large and excellent cast it felt mostly hindered in the small interactions as there’s something about a James Gunn movie that makes the dialogue feel like dialogue and not coming off as genuine. That’s not always bad with a movie that’s pulled from the pages of a comic and it doesn’t really impede the narrative. You just feel that with the numerous characters so many are under utilized and only on screen as an unnecessary device. That may be because there are so many twists to keep the audience guessing and unaware as to where the story is going, but not everything felt fleshed out. There’s a reoccurring sight gag for a character who describes themself as having mental illness that I just didn’t find funny in the end and I’m still not sure if I’m supposed to. All in all if you have HBO Max and want a dark DC comic movie for a night in, this is pretty good. Just don’t bring the kids. It earned the R rating with constant and gory kills.

This was a very interesting movie that left me mildly impressed. The story and art design remind me of the movie “Primer,” but with much more dynamic performances and situations. I really like what’s at the heart of the plot and the idea of a second chance, but the main thrust it guides the audience down is pretty dark. I think the characters are well thought through and nicely fleshed out by good acting. While you can see what’s about to happen in many of the situations there were a few turns that I was fairly shocked to see happen. Even though the movie has some shortcomings, the journey that the characters go on and their growth through the morality they have navigate is very compelling and kept me watching till the end. I wouldn’t say this is a must for sci-if or fantasy fans, but for a low budget movie this hit in all the right spots to warrant watching.

I could not believe that a movie based on an Ubisoft VR game was getting such great reviews. Then I saw that it had Sam Richardson and I had a good guess as to why. Sam is one of those performers that I could watch in anything and he delivered an amazing performance here amongst other engrossing comedic actors. The chemistry between Sam and the on screen love interest, Milana Vayntrub, was palpable. I know they adapted the story for the movie and they made so many great choices. The setting of a small town in the dead of winter really set the mood. For a horror movie that is rated R there wasn’t a lot of gore. I think it’s more because of the language that this movie earned an R rating, but there is a lot of violence. There are things about the style of editing that are a little over used in this genre of movie, but the quick cuts weren’t too many for me to be taken out of the action and didn’t mess with the pacing either. The mystery they set up is pretty good as well. I’m not kidding when I say I could have started the movie over and watched it again I had that much fun with it. I’d recommend this for anyone looking to spend some time enjoying an evening in.

This movie hits the ground running and expects that you are ready without questions during its hour and thirty six minute runtime. The problem is I have nothing but questions after watching it. It’s atmosphere and filming aesthetic are rich and compelling, but the meandering storytelling isn’t. I won’t spoil it, there is an interesting and fresh take on what “time” is that I found momentarily compelling here. My biggest problem with the movie is it’s one that try’s hard at times to hit that sweet spot where the dialogue has weight as if it’s being carved in stone while it’s being delivered on screen, but the devices used to move the plot forward come off as cliché and obvious. You also don’t really have time to build a relationship with any of the characters, but the movie is always leaning into the absolutely creepy vibe they achieved and it put me on edge the entire time I was watching. I’m not sure that I cared that I was missing character development until after I was done viewing it. You hardly get much backstory for the lead yet you are thrown in different situations that don’t always connect to the main thrust of the story that you are guided through. All of that said I still enjoyed it. It got a very big reaction from me at the end that I didn’t expect. The melancholy score really helped with that. The movie is very nicely put together on the whole, beautiful even at certain points to look at. I don’t know who I’d recommend this for as I don’t think I’ll ever watch it again, but if you want to be mildly chilled without any real scares I’d check this out.

Though somewhat boring, this “true story” is somehow compelling till the end. It might be because the setting. There is some sort of nostalgia in film I get when the USSR is involved as the backdrop. The movie is shot well and it has very good actors, but it’s just not very thrilling. The “true” parts of the story are insane and had a very real affect on the outcome of the Cuban Missile Crisis, yet for some reason as amazing as that is it just doesn’t come across as the compelling reason to watch this. The score does it’s job, but with a film that has source cues from Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev it became forgettable by the end. Other then people who like to get their history from amalgamated entertainment this is okay to pass on. I will say that Cumberbatch undergoes a real transformation in this, but I’m not sure if it was necessary.

Wildly evocative and almost unbearable to watch, this movie doesn’t pull any punches. I had to watch it in several separate sittings as the atmosphere they pull off was really intense for me. That said I don’t think I love the cinematography. I really don’t like some of the editing choices that felt very over used as a way for suggesting what they where “showing” through fast cuts on screen. The easiest way to sum this film up is “Lord of the Flys…in Space.” The thing is that’s not an entirely fare review. The parallels are there, but there really is a lot more to it. I gave it a lower score because I couldn’t watch this again, but if you are a diehard sci-fi fan there is quite a bit to like here. Other then that I can’t recommend it. The final thing I will say is that this kind of film relies heavily on music and sound design. While both are very familiar in composition and style, they do their job very well and stand out in a good way.

This was not a great movie. It was entertaining enough, but it was way too close to the first one in pacing and doesn’t have the courage to bring any real closure to the story. You know, just incase it’s also a surprise hit. I can’t wait for part III, “A Quiet Place In Space Where It Doesn’t Matter If You Scream Because, Well No One Can Hear You…” There were some interesting parts to the story, but I could see plot turns coming. Everything was telegraphed this time. The worst part for me was the opening sequence. I just didn’t care what was happening “then” after having already watched the first movie. It’s mostly only there to setup an introduction to a new character and the more I thought about it the less I cared for the extra back story. It’s not as interesting as what’s happening “now.” That opening is also Shyamalan-esque in it’s film making ****, i.e the way it’s shot to draw out the mundane so that we can remember what our actual moment to moment lives are like…while watching it represented on film. If you saw the first one and wouldn’t mind a little more of the same then you might enjoy this. I didn’t think that there was enough to get out of it personally so I can’t recommend it otherwise.

I try not to comment on these things when leaving a user review, but I’m blown away by the amount of people complaining that a day one theatrical release is available to them in the convenience of their own home for $30. Just don’t pay for it. Wait for it to be available at no extra cost in October with the subscription to Disney+. My god I’m lucky if $30 is the total cost for going to a movie theater and heaven forbid I take someone with me and get snacks. To my knowledge after you “unlock” the movie you now also have it as long as you have the service. Plus you can pause or rewind for any reason at any time. Try doing that a a theater. Now that that’s out of the way I enjoyed this movie, but with everything that “technically” should have come out after it was intended to release: Wanda Vision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, this fell a little short with pacing and story development for me. I loved her back story. I loved the “family” aspect of this, but it does feel a little late to the party with so much rich connected content coming out episodically on Disney+. There were some weird plot points that took me out of deeply enjoying this, but the acting and the actors themselves are just great. Without a doubt Red Guardian is now my favorite character in the entire MCU. David Harbour was perfect. Rachel Weisz is excellent and the rest of the cast shines including Johansson who’s portrayal of Black Widow has been somewhat dull until now. I’m not saying that’s isn’t because they didn’t give her a lot to work with in previous films, but I actually felt like there was a well rounded character being developed on screen. If you’ve seen the rest in the franchise I don’t hesitate to recommend you checking it out at your convenience. Anyone who isn’t interested in the massively expanding MCU should wait.

Like a lot of movies these days this barrows from several other films and books, yet it managed to entertain me all the way to the cheesy ending. I really liked all of the performances here and even more I appreciated the somewhat fresh turn of where the antagonists originated. While I would likely watch this again it would be purely for the action sequences because frankly the set up for the story to move the plot forward at every point breaks my suspension of disbelief. I’m not recommending it beyond people who love sci-fi, but if you have “Prime” and if the other creature driven movies that Pratt has recently been in entertained you then you might enjoy spending the time on this popcorn flick. (I didn’t know were to put this, but Sam Richardson is quickly becoming someone who if they are in a movie or TV show I’ll watch it. He’s really entertaining and he doesn’t disappoint here.)

I. Have. No idea how to review/explain or even advise as to who should watch this. It was wild, wildly imperfect and I really enjoyed it. I couldn’t tell for one second where it was going, but the plot still moved forward in an “okay, that makes since” fashion. In some ways it reminds me of the Kevin Smith movie “Red State” were he kept adding twits to the story in keeping the audience guessing it’s destination, but “Freaks of Nature” is way more silly and fun with a bit of gore. At some times it’s kind of your standard, yet weird, coming of age/fish out of water Hollywood trope~esq. story that we are all so used to. You’re thrust into a world were all manner of creatures live and matriculate together in school and in a small nondescript town. Zombies, humans and vampires all just side by side as if it were normal, but we never learn why. It’s a funny movie, yet cynical. There are a ton of experienced and extremely excellent improv actors cast in this to support the three main characters. Along with the best casting you can do when putting Denis Leary in as the **** they have Keegan-Michael Key and Bob Odenkirk all in very small rolls that help round out the world they exist in. It’s almost worth the time to just see their performances. So, I guess that I’m recommending this, but maybe only to see Patten Oswalt give an end of the world cameo.

It’s an interesting piece of history, but I’m not sure if any of it is movie worthy. It’s not a bad movie overall, it just lacked something that while I was watching it I couldn’t be bothered to figure out exactly what it was missing. Maybe it was the pacing or the story in general. There was one or two very good twists, but I’m hard pressed to say that I really witnessed any stand out acting from anyone. Everyone plays their part well, but the whole thing is basically a Hollywood trope wrapped and a pre-war girls academy that says very safe and does everything to not offend by offering anything of real interest or intrigue. I can’t say that I can think of anyone I’d recommend this to.

(Updated: Man, every time I see a Ryan George "Pitch Meeting" I've changed my mind about a movie I like. I still think this movie is fun, but I'm taking my score down 1 point from a 7 to a 6. He made too many good points. So for the first time I'm updating a movie score while it's fresh in my head.) Though with way more gore than either combined, this movie reminded me of “Ghosts of Mars” and “I Am Legend.” For me that’s not a bad thing. The plot is pretty straightforward and there are many elements that I like and that work well and to the movie’s favor. I really loved the opening and how it was used as a way to introduce the characters. It might have been the best use of slow motion that Snyder has ever **** I truly hate nearly every bit of slow motion in his movies. I won’t spoil them, but there were a few somewhat fresh ideas on the zombie genre here too and I really enjoyed those as well. I think the setting was a great choice and the special effects are really good for the most part. There are a few animal sequences that could have been better, but they didn't take me out of my low level suspension of disbelief. While I didn’t love the very end of the movie I think that Netflix has plans making this a franchise and that could be really fun as they explore more of the mysteries they set up here. If you like action horror then Army of the Dead with definitely fit the bill for its runtime.

It has its flaws, but I very much enjoyed this movie. Here on metacritic I think the user score is a bit more accurate than the critics. I do agree with some of the critiques about the lack of confrontation this movie chooses and how strange that is given its hard driving plot that is the power of "thoughts on full display." I have my own complaints about the climax of the film, but in the end neither of these things bothed me. The movie really drew me in and I was totally blown away by the subtle acting that had to be done to make all of the thought outbursts feel real to me and not like an afterthought done in effects. I really liked the tone of the movie and how it didn't feel like anything I've seen in a while. I have to say that I didn't entirely see where this was going at all times and that was really nice. For the most part this is an on the slow side popcorn action flick, but if you are into sci-fi this is a solid entry that has left me intrigued enough to want to watch it again.

I'm not sure if I could recommend this movie to anyone because of the subject matter, but I must say that it was handled in a unique, albeit dark, way that created a really memorable film. There are many flawed characters in this morality tale and I felt as a viewer that it was somewhat heavy handed. We are a bit too omniscient the way that the plot is unfolded to us and because of that there are many plot points you can see coming. I will say that it is also really worth exploring these stories now as it resounds just as heavy in the current climate of the "me too" era. For the most part it was shockingly refreshing to see people get their comeuppance through out this sudo thriller/revenge story, but for me that's where any enjoyment ends. I'm not sure that we're supposed to like, or even fully relate to, anyone in this sorry. Still, I like the main character's strength and resolve. It was a testament to the excellent acting that was on display the entire movie. My last bit of praise goes to the score. Whoever made the choices for what pop songs, down the the decision to do a string quartet orchestration arrangement of "Toxic," did a really great job. I'm not typically taken in by song score and I'm not a fan of most pop music, but this score/soundtrack really set the movie perfectly.

I'm a little surprised at both the user and the critic scores here. I thought that this was a really well put together film that had a lot of charm and explored something worth while. Possibly it's because people went into watching this thinking it was a "comedy." I can understand how it not really being one could put viewers off. I found the movie to be pretty funny, but I had no expectations going into it because I though it was a drama before I started watching. (I really liked the Action Bronson sequence.) All of this said I thought the acting, story and cinematography where outstanding. When I say I'm not a big Pete Davidson fan it's not because I don't like him. I've literally never seen him in anything except a Comedy Central Roast, but I loved him here. He was fantastic. Both him and Bill Burr are so easy to connect with in this. I've seen some complaints about how long this movie is, but I never felt like it overstayed it's welcome. While I think the pacing of the story is fairly good, I do think that it took a little too long for it to get to what I'd consider the 3rd act. The thing is though, I'm not sure who this movie is for entirely? We all know or have that one person in our lives who is great and talented, but who also needs to get it together. This movie lets us root for them. I appreciate that because many times I feel like I am that person who needs to get it together.

This movie is incredible. The acting, pacing, dialogue along with the amazing filmmaking make this a must see even if you aren’t into the “Scooby” like vibe it gives off at times. Even the music is perfect from the original score to popular song cues. In comparison it’s not as heavy as the movie “Brick,” but it’s also not a comedy like “Mystery Team.” I honestly can’t recommend this movie enough. If you are in the mood for a murder mystery with a very unique style you can’t go wrong here. Just be prepared. It gets really dark at the end.

I was entertained, but barely. I wasn’t expecting much and that’s what you get. Not much in character development, story, plot or acting. I spent most of my time watching this trying to fill in the gaps from what I know of MK as the writers put in several twists on the existing lore. While it had it’s moments, they were mostly surface level and didn’t go deeper then the shocks that the gore delivered. The acting isn’t “bad,” but it’s very flat. This becomes more noticeable with one character who stood out as someone who was very dynamic when on screen stealing the show in a way that negatively effected the story line. (You end up rooting for them at times and that’s definitely not what the writers wanted.) The movie did look beautiful and was very well filmed, but it had such a narrow scope for something that was supposed to be about a grand tournament to decide the fate of our world. If you have it available to watch as part of a streaming service at no extra cost and you like the 90’s movie I’d give it a watch. Just be warned that this movie is not of kids.

I enjoyed this movie in spite of itself. It seemed so determined to rush through its run time with very little thought to pacing or character development. Both of these things are forced upon viewers with heavy handed dialogue. I’m supposed to believe Highmore’s character is super intelligent and can figure any issue out in the moment because we’re TOLD he solved an oil spill problem, which they never show us, and is being courted by oil companies? The one “big” turn or twist in this movie wasn’t all that impressive or emotional, but I still found the movie taught and somewhat intense given the situations all the characters get into. Liam Cunningham is great, but like his fellow actors his character falls into too many film tropes leaving his screen time flat. I’d say that’s mostly a dialogue issue as the script and concept here is pretty cool as far as bank job movies go. If you are looking for something that will somewhat satisfy a heist genre craving and won’t ever go off the rails it’s traveling then this is okay.

I don’t think that this movie has enough in it to raise it up hire then the simple, low budget horror film that it is. In many ways it sands out while having a lot of the tropes you find in it brethren, but sometimes it seemed like they didn’t want to go the extra mile. There is a lot of wash, rinse and repeat with what happened on screen throughout its run time. I will say that I really love the premise. They almost pull it off. If I had one complaint it would be that the person playing the lead female was probably the weakest part of the film. She narrates a few parts and they where like fingers on a chalkboard for me as well as for the people watching with me. We couldn’t wait for her to stop talking. Not all of her acting was bad, just her delivery when having a monologue or soliloquy. You can tell the care and detail of the “mechanical” characters took a good portion of the budget which is why I kind of wish the movie had a less predictable ending. All in all if you want a pretty fun horror film with a moderate amount of gore you can’t go wrong with this title.

I think that this movie delivers exactly what it set out to do. Man when the action hits the VS part of its name sake I think it actually becomes pretty great. There’s a lot to take in with this one that has the cast going to even more fantastic places than the previous installments. There is a feast for the eyes to take in in almost every shot and that lends its self really well with the fun you can tell is being had on screen from the cast. It can drag a little in the “humans now on screen telling us what’s happening” parts. As serious as the plot can be all in all it’s still a campy good time. If you like blockbuster CGI movies and where at all impressed with the previous movies I’d give this a shot.

This is one of those movies that was really good, but I could never watch again. Its tag line is “A Spontaneous Love Story,” but it’s much more about dealing with the tragedies we have no control over that happen in life. A lot of the main thrust of the plot is just about getting by. That said, it has a lot of charm. The acting really draws you in and the caricatures of the high schoolers is pretty great. I have some problems with the heavy handed commentary of the final monologue and the general apathy that the main character jumps in and out of durning it. A lot of it sounds like it’s coming from someone who didn’t just experience the year that they did as it’s somewhat blustering and puffing up the ego. I do recommend watching this. Just know that you will likely not get any real closure at the end of its run time. However, that might be the movie’s point.

Holy S@#t! This movie is PG-13?! The MPAA needs to get its priorities straight. There are some horrific, violent images in the first 20 minutes of this movie very much not suited for young eyes. At one point I wasn’t sure if there was going to be a murder suicide on screen. That aside, I really liked this movie. If you’re a fan of Ron Perlman and Milla Jovovich they don’t disappoint here. I just wish Ron had more screen time. While it is based on the video games of the same name, the story and visuals are a fantasy hodgepodge of “Pitch Black,” “Dune,” “Alien” with a touch of “Tremors” and several other films. While that sounds disastrous there is so much that it can claim its own and kept the movie feeling fresh. Well, as fresh as a Paul W. S. Anderson film can be. So many times I couldn’t quite tell where it was going, and while that’s great I also felt like it was over before it had really started. My one complaint is all of the electronic parts in the score. The the sequenced synthesizers just didn’t fit the overall aesthetic of the movie. They felt like they were invoking a more “Sci-Fi” feel. More traditional orchestrations would have been better.