The Invisible Man

MY RATING: 6

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info:  28 February 2020

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Writer and Director: Leigh Whannell
Running Time:  2 Hours and 4 Minutes

Staring: Elisabeth Moss and Oliver Jackson-Cohen

Rating? R

SPOILERS? YES-ish

STORYLINE

When Cecilia's abusive ex takes his own life and leaves her his fortune, she suspect his death was a hoax. As a series of coincidences turn lethal, Cecilia wrks to prove that she is being hunted by someone no-one can see.

MY REVIEW

Let's just state the obvious- - I KNOW I was expecting a modern day Hollow Man scenario based on the trailers and while it was close, it was not what I thought it was going to be. It was okay, not great and definitely fell flat in some areas, but it was a solid 6. Read below (YES, SPOILERS) to find out why I gave it that rating.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• The tension in the first two acts was intense. I love when movies give you something to be afraid of and NOT show you what that might be. Your thoughts run way and your imagination seems to run wild. What you CAN'T see is scary.
• The viewer is placed in the shoes of Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss) as she struggles with the aftermath of domestic violence, trust issues and a mental breakdown in the making.
• Dark themes. While abuse is no laughing matter and should to be made light of, this movie did give the abuser some of his own medicine but it takes us a little while to get there.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• The third act leaves a lot to be desired with some obvious plot holes, camera angle oddities and an almost never-ending movie. What we think is the end is not the end and then that happens again. While it was interesting, there's such a thing as too many endings.
• Why do they not have a Canary or Ring Camera in the house on the first night weird stuff happens. Seriously, Bust Buy or Amazon can get that shit to you in 1 day. I have so many cameras in the house I catch every dumb thing my cat does!
• Better writing please...

On a more personal note..... 

I did a thing on the way home from work last night and got about 6" cut on the length of my hair I'm okay. It grows back pretty quickly! Also, had some work done on my sleeve this week. Clay went in and made some highlights on the sugar skill and the microphone. One of these days, I'll get back up in front of people and sing. I do miss that sometimes! Last but not least, my little house panther Isabella hanging out at the base of Darth Vader in the living room.

Knives Out

MY RATING: 9

Knives Out (2019)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info:  27 November 2019 

Watched 16 Jan 2020

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Writer and Director:  Rian Johnson
Running Time: 2 Hours and 10 Minutes

Staring: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans and Ana de Armas

Rating? PG-13

SPOILERS? NO 

STORYLINE

When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan's dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan's untimely death. Written by Lionsgate

MY REVIEW

Oddly, I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't hate this movie. I was ready do hate it. But, I do L O V E Rian Johnson and the idea that he wrote and directed along with the cast of insanely talented artists. I'll be honest, I didn't go see it in the theater, so I waited for it to be on iTunes movies and did what I do best. Watch it at home from the comfort of my own couch with a cat on my lap. My review will explain why, but yes, this is a good movie. I settled on a  9, which I feel might be generous. Please continue reading to understand why I went that high.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Rian Johnson. I should just write you a love note here. Direction, cinematography, writing, editing, flow. You, sir, are a genius. This was a beautifully complicated movie.  I remember watching Hercule Poirot and Agatha Christie growing up and this felt reminiscent to those older films. It came across as nostalgic, even through it was modern.
• Chris Evan's sweater. Enough said
• While the story itself was easy to follow, I missed a LOT of things that I should have caught. As someone who typically figures out the end WELL before the the reveal, I enjoyed being almost there.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Daniel Craigs accent. I COULD not take him seriously. It did pull me out of the magic of the movie a few times. I just couldn't get past it.
• Twisted plot that sometimes leaves the watcher trying too hard to make sense of the plot holes.
• Social message was a bit overdone, but not enough to detract from the overall idea of the movie.

On a more personal note..... 

Tons of Selfies. It was my friend Missy's daughters 2nd Birthday. Oliver was adorable. Dexter Morgan thought he belonged on a shelf in the office.

Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker

MY RATING: 9

GENERAL INFORMATION 

Release Info: 20 Dec 2019

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Director:J.J. Abrams
Writer: J.J. Abrams and Chris Terrio
Running Time: 2 Hours and 21 Minutes

Staring: Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Keri Russell and many many more

Rating? PG-13

SPOILERS? NO and YES (Section clearly marked)

STORYLINE

In the final part of the Star Wars Saga, the surviving resistance faces the First Order once more in the final chapter of Skywalker. 

MY REVIEW

So much to say for this review, so let me just say, YES, I gave this movie a 9 out of 10. I sat there for the whole 2 and a half hours on the edge of tears or full-on wiping my eyes with my sleeve. I was able to remain spoiler-free and I feel good about that. I got to take the ride and feel all of the feels in the moment. The first section is SPOILER FREE and the second is not. Ye have been warned!

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• John Williams once again provided some of the best adapted pieces from the original score in this final piece.
• It was a non-stop slap-you-in-the-face joy ride through the Star Wars Universe. Yes, there were a lot of loose ends to tie up, such as Rey's lineage and the whole ambiguous"Rise of Skywalker" reference. But I think they did a good job of taking the bits from "The Force Awakens" and "The Last Jedi" and wrapping them up for me with a neat little bow.
• There is so much to unpack here as a movie. I wanted to have closure for so many of my favorites but I also didn't want it to be Disney-fied or a love story. There is a fine line that I didn't want to see crossed. It was a delicate line that they tip-toed across, never stepping too far over the edge for me.

What I DIDN'T EXPLICITLY NOT LIKE about this movie: 

• There was definitely a lot of fan-service in this movie. I'm not saying that I didn't like it because I did. I AM THAT FAN who enjoys it, but I can see where it might have been a little much.
• There were some plot holes. I won't go into them, but as a Star Wars fan. You'll know.
• The CGI with Luke and Leia wasn't the worst, but it definitely was not the best.

What ELSE do I need say? (THIS IS THE TIME TO TURN BACK. SPOILERS AHEAD)

• Cameos Galore!! Oh so many awesome people that I saw and SOME that I didn't.. Here's the list so far... John Williams, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Freddie Prinze Jr., Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles and Warwick Davis donned the Wicket costume again.
• The moment that had me in full on tears was seeing the struggle of Kylo Ren wanting to go back to being Ben Solo. Adam Driver did it for me right them. He looked over at Han (as a Force-Ghost) and said nothing. Han said "I know." TEARS!!!!
• In the final scene, we see Rey wandering around the Lars Moisture farm on Tatooine.. She is asked her name by a passer-by. Rey she says. But what's her family name.. She looks over to see Leia and Luke's force-ghosts.. Rey Replies.. Skywalker. My heart.

On a more personal note..... 

We saw this in a IMAX theater with reclining seats. Great choice.

Doctor Sleep

MY RATING: 8

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info:  8 November 2018

Genre: Drama, Horror, Fantasy
Director: Mike Flanagan
Writer: Mike Flanagan and Stephen King
Running Time:  2 hours and 32  Minutes

Staring: Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson and Kyliegh Curran

Rating? R

SPOILERS? NO

STORYLINE

Years following the events of "The Shining," a now adult Dan Torrance must protect a young girl with similar powers from a cult known as The True Knot who prey on children with powers to remain quasi-immortal.

MY REVIEW

Let's be honest with each other. I have said it before that Stephen King novels are painstakingly difficult to translate to film. I firmly believe that director and co-writer Mike Flanagan did a pretty damn good job. There was some little bits lost from book to movie, but it was an enjoyable ride. I loved The Shining (Read my review here).

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• WRITING- Mike Flanagan and Stephen King did justice to not only the original Shining but to the continuation in Doctor Sleep. This was not an homage. This was a completion of the story of Danny Torrance that was necessary. We got to see what the happenings at the Overlook did to this little boy as an adult.  Stephen King gave us what we needed, closure. We knew that Jack Torrance died at the Overlook, but we got to close the loop on Wendy and Dick and the others. 
• CINEMATOGRAPHY- I feel like I should really write a love letter to Michael Fimognari. Exquisite job sir. His use of natural lighting and having a more character driven idea to the scenes puts you into the space with them. Yes, the set is still visible and featured, but the eye stays where he wants you to look~
• SET DESIGN-So much care went into the design and creation of the set pieces. Little things that I really didn't notice until the second and third viewing. Things bought into the movie from the King Universe such as The Dark Tower, It and the little nods to the 1980 Shining. I tip my cap to you sirs!
• SCORE/SOUNDTRACK- What I loved about this movie was the music. I read later that it was heavily influenced by David Lynch's Eraserhead track.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Nothing that I can pin point that I didn't like, but It's not a perfect 10!

What ELSE do I need to say? SPOILERS AHEAD!

• Danny Lloyd who played the original Danny Torrance had a cameo in the movie as a spectator in the baseball game scene.
• Director Mike Flanagan had to use set design notes from the estate of Stanley Kubrick to rebuild some of the sets for the Overlook Hotel.
• In the hospice scene where Azzie the cat jumps on the desk in front of Dan, he's reading the same Jan 1978 issue of Playgirl that Jack Torrance was reading at the interview scene in the Overlook from the original film.

On a more personal note..... 

Selfie in the new company shirt... Me at the movies.. Dexter Morgan and his adorable toes!

Zombieland: Double Tap

MY RATING: 6

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 18 Oct 2019

Genre: Action, Comed, Horror
Director: Ruben Fleischer-
Writer: Dave Callaham and Rhett Reese
Running Time: 1 hour 39 minutes

Staring: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin

Rating? R

SPOILERS? NO

STORYLINE

Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita and Little Rock move to the American heartland as they face off against evolved zombies, fellow survivors and the growing pains of the snarky makeshift family.

MY REVIEW

It's kinda good that it took 10 years to make a follow up to the original Zombieland. It really gave the writers quite a bit of time to play with to craft a good story with our 4 anti-heoroes. I think they could have used the time more wisely. 6 was generous.

It felt to me that the characters hadn't grown at all. Typically, after 10 years, people would have changed. None of our main four have developed any new or compelling personal traits. They are the exact same, so the movie was basically a rehash of the first movie with new monsters.

There were definitely some issues with the movie, but it was a fun ride! Read my likes and dislikes below...

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• This was exactly what you expect. If you expected a lot of the same.. that's what you'll get, whatever that means to you.
• What a soundtrack!  Much like the first Zombieland, the soundtrack is full-on amazing! Metallica, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan and a little Kenny Loggins. 

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• It's a sequel, that is not the problem. They maybe regurgitated the same jokes a bit too much.  If you're a Family Guy watcher, you know those scenes when the joke goes on just about one minute too long.. yeah, it's a little too much of that.
• NO, absolutely NO character evolution in 10 years.

Joker

MY RATING: 9 of 10

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 4 October 2019

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Director: Todd Phillips
Writer: Todd Phillips and Scott Silver
Running Time:  2 Hours and 2 Min.

Staring: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro and Zazie Beetz and well, quite a few more...

Rating? R

SPOILERS? NO

STORYLINE

In Gotham City, mentally-troubled comedian Arthur Fleck is disregarded and mistreated by society. He then embarks on a downward spiral of revolution and bloody crime. This path brings him face-to-face with his alter ego.. Joker. 

MY REVIEW

This is NOT a lighthearted DC Comic movie just to set that straight out of the gate. This is a dark and twisted tale of a downhill spiral that takes a mentally impaired man through seven levels of literal hell. It's feral. It's violent. It's glorious. Think Taxi Driver meets Fight Club.

The Joker has been played by Jared Leto most recently, Heath Ledger, Jack Nicholson going all the way back to Cesar Romero. None of them really stood out to me as the definitive "Joker". (We all have a "Batman" who will always be "the One!" My Batman will always be Adam West!) That being said, Joaquin Phoenix IS the Joker. Continue below...

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Joaquin Phoenix breathes, bleeds and cries as the Joker. He is perfection. His portrayal of the melancholy mentally unstable Fleck is hauntingly enigmatic.
• Writers Todd Phillips and Scott Silver created a solid tale that is mesmerizing to the soul. It's gritty and tragic but with moments of comedic perfection that lead to a genuinely great movie. This is good because it's just over 2 hours long and it keeps you in your seat. Well done gentlemen. 
• I don't want to give too much away, but the first two acts are written and filmed in a way that will help the viewer almost understand Joker's motivation for the final act. That's not to say that you can empathize with his actions or even remotely find them justified, but the viewer can understand what went wrong.  There are definitely hints to a societal breakdown where a mentally ill person who needs help and is receiving only the bare essentials can fall through the cracks and end up where he did. Let's leave it there and I'll be happy to discuss after any of you see the film. (I have a LOT of opinions about this aspect of the movie.)
• The Score. I'm a bit of an audiophile and when I heard some classic Charlie Chaplin from the classic 1936 Modern Times, I could not help but to smile. There are some great pieces in this movie.. a little Sinatra.. a little Cream.. and last but not least.. Send in the Clowns.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• All of the action of this movie was in the final act and really in the last 20 minutes. It's not boring by any means, but it did feel like it took us a LONG time to get to the end.
• Plot holes here and there, but 
• The trailers gave away too much 
• Social commentary seemed a little over the top. It's hard to NOT say exactly what I want to with ought giving too much away. Let's just call it that it's very obvious what the writers were attempting. Although I do love the story, the idea that situation that was created almost intentionally by inaction of the people around him and the inept care of social service department led to the creation of basically a serial killer.

On a more personal note..... 

I had a night out with some friends..We got a roomba.. I tried to make the cats feel like he was part of the pack so I gave him ears and whiskers. His name is Karl.

The Basement

MY RATING: 5

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info:  14 Sept 2018

Genre: Horror
Writers/Directors: Brian M. Conley and Nathan Ives
Running Time: 1 Hour and 30 Minutes

Staring: Jackson Davis, Cayleb Long and Mischa Barton

Rating? TV-MA

SPOILERS? YES

STORYLINE

A seemingly innocent man is abducted by a notorious Los Angeles serial killer who forces his victims to role-play with him so that he can enact his capture, torture and murder fantasies.  

MY REVIEW

This was a suggestion for me from Netflix. The premise sounded interesting and it had a 4.6 on IMDb. It could be that I was a bit distracted while watching by the cutest little half-munchkin kitten Dexter Morgan but I actually thought this was just okay, nothing less, nothing more. It has flaws but its interesting. Should you see it on Netflilx? Well... I wouldn't say that you should, but if you do, please don't do it beccause I suggested. Let's review, shall we?

What I DID LIKE about this movie:


SPOILERS AHEAD!

• Acting was actually pretty good for a sub-B level movie.  Mischa Barton is not the greatest actress in the world, but i thought she did good with what she had. She was a lifeless, almost like she was playing the role like she thought Kristen Stewart would play her.
• Torture porn adjacent. It was ALMOST a good torture movie, if they would have shown a little more of the gore.. and who loves gore? That's right, THIS GIRL!
• Jackson Davis does a pretty amazing job as the Gemini Killer. Multiple personalities aside, it was a cool twist. I mean, again, the name of the guy alone told us what to expect but

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• WRITING. The story was unique albeit overdone. The "Gemini" killer is kidnapping and torturing people in the San Fernando Valley, CA. Right there, right off the bat was the plot all summed up in the name of the killer. Gemini (Jackson Davis). Obviously a twin. Famous musician (Cayleb Long) is kidnapped and his wife (Mischa Barton) and her friend are at the house waiting.. it becomes painfully obvious that the wife is the twin and she knows that her hubby is f-ing the friend and she's gotten her brother, the Gemini killer to off her cheating man. This was not subtext at all. Handed to the viewer on a silver platter. So much predictability that it was actually a bit boring.
• English Accent- Come ON! Invent in some acting classes or get a real Englishman!

There's just not that much more to say. It was not good and not bad. 

IT- Chapter Two

MY RATING: 5

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 6 Sept 2019

Genre: Horror
Director:Andy Muschietti
Writer:Gary Dauberman and Stephen King
Running Time: 2 Hours and 49 Minutes

Staring: Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader

Rating? R

SPOILERS? NO and YES 
(It's clearly marked where the spoilers begin)

STORYLINE

Twenty-seven years later their first encounter with the terrifying Pennywise, the Losers Club have grown up and moved away, until a devastating phone call brings them back.

MY REVIEW

I want to start with the obvious. Stephen King. I LOVE Stephen King. His novel “The Tommyknockers” was one of the first books I read followed by Christine. He's an amazing writer but this brings me to the inevitable. Stephen King movie adaptations that stick to the bones of the story are difficult and end up going off the rails because I think his words are more suited to paper than the screen. 

Click HERE to read my review for IT Chapter 1.

IT Chapter 2, joins the list of King novels that were better off left in the pages of a book. The read was terrifying and lives in a world of internal psychological fantasy while the screen adaptation fell flat for me. I mean, I didn't hate it, but it wasn't a completely enjoyable 3 hours. Yep, three hours. UGH! 

This part of the review is Spoiler Free, so enjoy but if you want to remain so, STOP when I say so.

Director Andy Muschietti used a bit too much narrative and tried to fit way too much story into the already long film. Some of the pieces should have been left on the cutting room floor. Let’s not even talk about the few continuity issues.

Was it scary? Nope. It was light on Pennywise and heavy on the Losers, not entirely a bad thing, but Pennywise is IT!  I was in love with  Bill Skarsgård's performance in the first movie. I hate to say it but I think they showed all of the good Pennywise scenes in the trailers. Speaking of the Losers - - Richie Tozier, played by Bill Hader was solidly my favorite. I’ve read a few reviews that extol his performance as the highlight of the movie. While he was good, his part was pretty much a mash up of one-liners that he delivered with perfect comedic timing. He also had a few emotional scenes that proved his humor could be tempered with emotion. He was my favorite Loser.

James McAvoy delivered a great performance as Bill Denbrough. I liked that McAvoy played Bill with a bit more edge than you would've thought from the character that we were shown in Chapter 1. His story line though, I think could have been better. 

The rest of the Losers Club was good, but no one really stood out with a great story however all provided a decent performance. James Ransome as Eddie Kaspbrack. Isaiah Mustafa as Mike Hanlon. (Isaiah was the fun Old Spice commercial guy.)  Jay Ryan as Ben Hanscom,  Andy Bean as Stan Uris and finally, Jessica Chastain as Beverly Marsh.

Thanks Morbidly Beautiful for the Pics

Did I love this movie? No. Was it passable? Yes.  I mean, you should see this movie if you are a horror fan and liked the first one. It’s not the worst wrap up to a story, BUT, don't spring for the fancy theater, get one of the discount ones, matinee if you can find one.

The next section contains SPOILERS- STOP!!!

I warned you. So, it’s your own fault if you keep reading this and spoil the movie! Let’s start with the story. Again, Stephen King novels are notoriously difficult to translate into film. So, Mike Hanlon in a drug induced haze, discovers the way to kill Pennywise is to perform this Ritual of Chud. What he doesn't share with the Losers, who he’s convinced to help him perform the ritual, is that the one time the ritual was performed it was an abject failure.  This ritual sent the Losers on a movie long journey to find their talismans. Although the personal journey’s they take give the view insight into their stories and reintroduce Pennywise in various forms, the tasks and items they brought were summarily discarded. Seemed a waste.

The movie did however; bring in the Native American history that was prevalent in the book. It almost brought in the whole Wendigo part. There was a little hint of a picture in Mike’s montage. 

I am still shaking my head at the whole love triangle between Bill, Mike and Bev that seems a little overdone. Didn't really need to go that far to show the audience that Bev had no idea that Ben was the original author of the love note. Your hair is winter Fire. January Embers. My Heart burns there too.  Worst near haiku known to man.

The Eddie/Richie gay subtext was there in a way that I think even Stephen King didn't intend to show in the book. It was less than obvious on the first read, but it showed up on the second and third. It was a nice add-on for me to see this aspect played so well by Bill Hader and James Ransone. My heart broke a little for Richie as he held the recently deceased Eddie in the sewers and kissed his cheek. 

The opening scenes with the locals gay-bashing and beating the couple was unnecessary. Small town small-minded dicks are everywhere. I thought Pennywise only killed kids. Did he need to kill the random adult?

Fear paralyzes Pennywise and he is “diminished” by the Losers standing making fun of him. Felt reminiscent of the scenes in Nightmare when Nancy turned her back on Freddy. It was hard to take the idea at face value for which fears exist only in their subconscious.

CGI was overdone. IT was less of a spider and more of a crab? That was just weird.

I absolutely LOVED the last voiceover..  

“People want to believe they are what they choose to remember. The good stuff. The moments. Places. The people we all hold onto. But sometimes, sometimes we are what we wish we could forget.”

Ready or Not

MY RATING: 6  - quite nearly a 7

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: Released 21 August 2019

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett
Writer: Guy Busick and Ryan Murphy
Running Time: 1 Hour and 35 Minutes

Staring: Samara Weaving, Adam Brody and Andie MacDowell

Rating? R

SPOILERS? NO

STORYLINE

We follow young bride Grace (Samara Weaving) as she joins her new husband  Alex's (Mark O'Brien) rich, eccentric family in a time-honored wedding day tradition that turns into a lethal game with everyone fighting for their lives. 

MY REVIEW

I saw the trailer a month or so ago and was not exactly dying to see it, but it sounded interesting. Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are really only known for V/H/S and one of the writers, Ryan Murphy, was responsible for one of my long-time faves, Wrong Turn from 2003. The idea was interesting. It reminded me of a gory and somewhat satanic version of the movie Clue at times. We'll get into the reasons below, but this is a fun movie. It was by far, not the greatest or even Oscar-worthy, but it was fun. It had flaws, like REALLY bad acting in most cases, but it was fun and there were some authentic ideas and some great laughable lines. Let's dive in, shall we!

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• The bright star of this movie was Margot Robbie, oh, that wasn't her? For a few minutes, it sure did look a lot like her! No, seriously, Samara Weaving was pretty good. She was in a little Netflix find The Babysitter- also a solid performance. She stole the scene from whoever she was paired with and that was unfortunate for them.
•  Adam Brody has quite possibly the best line of the whole movie when he is talking to Grace (Samara Weaving) about what his family thinks of his brothers new bride.. "Don't take it personally, they're just trying to figure out if you're a gold digging whore. You know, like my wife."
• It's dark. Pretty god-damned dark with the murder and all, but it was genuinely a pretty solid take on the weird shit that people do for fame and fortune.
• Aunt Helene. (Nicky Guadagni) Oh, she was awkward and weird but she was glorious!
• This might be a little too much of my weird psychoanalytic  bullshit but here goes and I'm trying not to spoil anything. During the movie we start with Grace in her white wedding dress and all of the others in the movie are wearing dark clothes. This COULD be a symbol of good vs. evil or light vs. dark. But as she plays the game and finds her footing and fights back, her white dress becomes more and more dirty.. and by the end, she's covered in dirt and blood. Fitting? Interesting?
• The song. "Hide and Seek" is the creepiest thing I've ever heard in my life! Nothing else in the soundtrack really stood out.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• It was hard to have even the slightest bit of empathy for ANY of the characters really. There was little to no development to explain they "why" or make you care if they lived or died. The only one who even began to be a real person was the brother of the groom Adam Brody.
• If you look at the climax of the movie, the last 30 minutes of the movie felt really rushed. The first two acts were like foreplay, peeling back layer after layer in a good balance of exposition and action. Then, in a rush to "get it over with" the story takes a direct path that failed to really satisfy the buildup that I was given. Left me wanting more. I actually had to pause and let myself take in the fact that THAT was really then end. 

On a more personal note..... 

This week was pretty fun. I had a great dinner with a visiting co-worker from Las Vegas and realized that the sun was my best friend when  I wanted to show off the bright red/purple highlights in my hair and I drank some delicious mimosas with friends!

Spiderman: Far From Home

MY RATING: 7

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info:  2 July 2019

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Director: Jon Watts
Writer: Chris McKenna
Running Time: 2 Hours and 9 Minutes

Staring: Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Jake Gyllenhaal, Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau, Zendaya, J.B. Smoove and Cobie Smulders

Rating? PG-13

SPOILERS? NO

STORYLINE

Peter Parkers world has changed a lot since the events of Avengers: Endgame and everyone asking who will be the next Iron Man. Peter is avoiding Nick Fury's calls and heads to Europe with schoolmates with plans to tell MJ he likes her. Hell breaks loose with a new villain in the alternate universe Elementals and the new semi-super hero Mysterio. Peter does not enjoy a peaceful trip as he has planned.

MY REVIEW

After a few bad movies in a row, it was nice to see one that I immediately did not regret paying to see. Was it the best movie of the summer? No. Was it a fun to watch? Yes! As someone who had the fortunate opportunity to live in Europe fro several years it was nice to see some of the places I remember so fondly. (Pics below of me in London and Venice).

I need to admit that I was more excited to see Jake Gyllenhaal. (Man candy if I do say so myself).  So, I'm giving it a solid 7. There were a few things that just lost me, but read my notes below and you'll see why I went with that.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• DIRECTION- Although this is the typical monster of the movie thing that mot marvel/DC universe movies use as a plot device, the pivots that change the dynamic of the story are pretty well done. I'm not giving it away when I say that this is the kind of story that I get. The monsters are within us all and occasionally the monsters are bigger for some people. I think they successfully told the story while retaining the idea of the teenage Spiderman and his never ending struggle to admit his love for the elusive MJ.
• SET DESIGN/LOCATION- I am ONE OF THOSE people who will tear a movie apart when the set designers and location folks don't get the details right. 
• CINEMATOGRAPHY- Some epic shots here. When you have locations as amazing as Venice and London, you have to let it all sink in without overindulging. I mean, I've stood on the top of the Campidoglio and took some great wide shots of the brick red roofline of the city. I think they did a great job filming in Venice and keeping it from being a vacation video.  Same with London. They stuck with the area near Tower Bridge and it looked and felt right.
• COSTUME DESIGN- I was surprised a little with the suit choices here. The one that he was wearing in the beginning with the meet and greet of the locals in NYC was super over the top. I'm glad they moved back to the typical one for his overseas shenanigans.
• SCORE/SOUNDTRACK-  What a sing-along movie this will be when I am watching this again at home. "I Will Always Love You" to start, a little "Back in Black" and finally a Go Go hit with "Vacation." I wanted to play the air drums a little, who am I kidding, A LOT!

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• I don't even know which category to put this in. Spiderman IS your neighborhood superhero. He's the home grown kid with the silly home made suit shooting webs from his hands. I think it bothered me that by the end of this movie he was on a Stark plane with Happy and unlimited access to Start Tech. THat's detracts from the selling point of Spiderman.
• EFFECTS- It's not that I didn't like it... but it's really effects heavy. I mean, it IS a superhero movie and it's not like you can just film stuff that doesn't exist, SOOO i get that they needed to use a lot of CGI and effects.
• SUB PLOT- Emotional Rollercoaster that derailed a bit for me. Here was a bit too much of the quirky teenage love will he/won't he was a bit much for me. 
• RIP TONY STARK- Okay, Tony Stark is dead. It seems to me that they were having a hard time letting him go. LET HIM GO. I did enjoy some of the little Tony Stark add in's like EDITH, but it was a bit Stark heavy for me.

On a more personal note..... 

This movie brought up a few great memories of when we lived in Europe. We had some great trips to some of the destinations in this movie and I thought I would share a few. Below is me on the London Eye, and on the Rialto Bridge and in Saint Mark's Square in Venice.