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.

Childs Play

MY RATING: 1

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 21 June 2019

Genre: Horror
Director: Lars Klevberg
Writer:Tyler Burton Smith
Running Time: 

Staring:Aubrey Plaza, Gabriel Bateman

RatingR

SPOILERS? YES

STORYLINE

A mother gives her 13year old son a toy doll for his birthday, unaware of its more sinister nature. 

MY REVIEW

Oh, holy hell, this was bad. I need a new word for how ridiculously bad this movie was. All I can think of is the scene in Kung Pow! Enter the Fist where Chosen One decides that killing is bad AND wrong and it needs a new word- BADONG! Yes, there are spoilers in my review, but it's for YOUR benefit! This movie did not know what it wanted to be when it grows up, some serious identity issues. I get that the writer/directors were trying to update the story with the removal of the supernatural and addition of the AI gone wrong concept, but they tried too hard. Charles Lee Ray IS Chucky. It needed that little piece for me to be CHILD's PLAY. It was just overkill. So many glaring missteps and missed opportunities that I could never let myself actually enjoy the movie. It's weird over-reach into a world where Alexa/Apple/Uber are all wrapped into one service that is all powerful is off-putting. I get how people are all crazy about how these things are intrusive but this was over the top. I'm still not getting rid of my Alexa.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• My favorite kill was the Shane (David Lewis), when his head was run over by a roter tiller. I'll talk about what was WRONG with that scene below.
• Some of the one-liners were funny.
• Detective Mike (Brian Tyree Henry) was the star for me. His acting was natural and did not feel forced.
• Aubrey Plaza was braless for most of the movie. (.)(.)
• Mark Hammil as the voice of Chucky

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:---This is gonna take a while...

• Opening scene brings us to the factory in Vietnam where the Buddi Dolls are being made. Let's just call this one right here. EVERYONE knows that factories have been using the assembly line with interchangeable parts since Ransom Olds in 1901. (No, it wasn't the anti-semitic asshole Henry Ford). The factory was dark and there was no assembly line, just a  bunch of single work stations that were at various stages of doll completion. The tech guy who is putting in the "chip" is getting fired and was told to finish his work and leave forever. Like that would really happen! Anyway, he resets all fo the "parameters" that keep the doll from being evil. Okay, so I have a HUGE issue with this as a concept. You mean to tell me that the simple act of him turning off the barriers is what makes this doll evil? Would that even make it through R&D? I am rolling my eyes right now!! THEN, not only does he finish the doll, but HE is the one who packs the doll and puts it on the truck? Then they make a huge point of showing the viewer that the one box that has the evil Buddi doll has a dent in the top. Why do they pack the truck with the dolls only shrink wrapped around the middle and not in a separate container? That's not how this works! @#)*&!!!!!
• Now, let's talk about the fact that they tried to get all inclusive by giving the kid a hearing aid, only one. I immediately thought that they were going to use it as some sort of evil prop, but the only thing they did was have the Chucky doll hack in and talk to Andy through the thing, LAME!
• At what point does the kid realize that there is something massively wrong with this doll and take out the battery/disconnect it from the internet... I mean the thing strangles the poor cat and grabs random knives... I can't believe for a second that a 13 year old boy would just go, yeah, whatev's, this doll is cool as it is.. I won't call anyone. Ugh oh, my doll just killed y mom's boyfriend and left his face in my room. STILL NOT calling the cops!
• Speaking of killing the mom's boyfriend. So, he decides to take down the outdoor Christmas lights at his house on a very tall ladder with no stabilizers in the middle of the night. Yeah, that makes COMPLETE sense! BUT then, not only is he taking them down but he's wrapping them around his torso and of course he falls. At least he had a good death!
• WHO designed that doll? It was not a cute little doll that it should have been. I give them credit for NOT using any CG effects on the doll. Valiant effort to use real tech to get the doll to move right on the screen. It still felt wrong to me.
• The cliches were too abundant. Hearing aid loner kid with a single mom and her overbearing boyfriend who's secretly married and they live next to the funny black detective and his mom. I can't. This was insane. 

Perfection

MY RATING: 8

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 24 May 2019

Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller
Director: Richard Shepard
Writer: Eric C. Charmelo and Richard Shepard
Running Time: 90 Minutes

Staring: Allison Williams, Logan Browning and Alaina Huffman

Rating? TV-MA

SPOILERS? NO 

STORYLINE

When troubled musical prodigy Charlotte (Allison Williams) seeks out Elizabeth (Logan Browning), the new star pupil of her former school the encounter sends both musicians down a sinister path with shocking consequences.

MY REVIEW

Brilliantly Dark! I may have passed this one right by if had not been for the comments online about this movie actually making people feel physically ill when watching. I have two words for the people who had that reaction.. F&*$ing Really? Yeah, it was a wee bit on the disturbing side and maybe I've seen so many horror movies that this TV-MA made for Netflix show was just one in the list. It was good. I loved the unique story as well as the interesting way that the story was told. Not going to give too much about that or it will RUIN the movie.

I think the best way to describe this movie is the idea that when you pul on a three of a sweater, the whole thing will soon unravel. This movie is the epitome of that statement. The threads just keep pulling and it keeps getting better and better. Yes, there were some things that I was not a fan of, but for the most part, this was a solid 8.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Writing- This is a unique story. Yes, there are nods to other movies like this (Black Swan), but this is new. Unique.  Eric C. Charmelo didn't have much movie died in his writing portfolio (some episodes of Supernatural) and  Richard Shepard, who was also the direct also has a very short list of writing credits, but both have a lot of production history. I think that helped them to craft a well written story that did its job by getting us from point A to B in a very interesting and unexpected way.  
• The story at its core is about perfection and the sacrifices that one gives up in their personal lives to attain such feats. While the actual story stays on target to the theme, the expanded concept was really bland. (see below)
• Filming/Editing. I felt like the nod to Darron Aronofsky with the rewind sequences were brilliant.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Special effects were not really that great. I mean the vomit looked like they really just opened a can of Mountain Dew and thickened it to make it look more realistic. The green color was a bit too over the top.
• The end was just more of a surreal mess. You'll see what I mean. Was not what I expected.
• The story, while it was good was a little over the top. I had a hard time with the suspension of reality. It felt like they were telling me that this was a real situation but the ridiculousness of the scenarios that ensue are not believable in any way.

On a more personal note..... 

I did a thing this week. I started work on the remainder of my half sleeve with the best artist on the East Coast, Clay Thames. We have a few more sessions before I will show you guys!! It's going to look amazing!! It was also Dexter Morgan's 4th Birthday this week. He's such a good little baby!

Brightburn

MY RATING: 3 of 10

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 24 May 2019

Genre: Horror and Sci-Fi
Director: David Yarovesky
Writer:Brian Gunn and Mark Gunn
Running Time: 1 Hour and 31 Minutes

Staring: Elizabeth Banks, David Denman and  Jackson A. Dunn

Rating? R

SPOILERS? A few little ones, but not enough to ruin it for anyone

STORYLINE

What if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he proved to be something far more sinister.

MY REVIEW

The first thing I note is that David Yarovesky directed Guardians of the Galaxy (my Review), which I gave an 8, so my low hopes were raised a bit to low/medium. Add in that brothers Brian and Mark Gunn were the writers. Ah, Brian Gunn has a soft spot in my heart for being one of the writers of my favorite Mtv Boy Band parody from 2000, 2Ge+her.  and now my hopes were at a solid medium.

My expectations were pretty accurate. We'll get into the why's in a minute, but this movie was a mediocre mess that lacked a complete and compressive thought. I give them some credit for a handful of things that I will discuss below. I beg of you to the non-existent lord, do not pay money to go see this movie. Wait for it to come out of Netflix or HBO. Maybe if someone gives you a free movie pass, then you should.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• A lot of what I liked about this movie was really subtext. It's the old question of nature vs. nurture. Without going into tooo much detail, the idea that this person could be raised by good and kind people, his nature took over. There was no fighting it for him. It was "In his DNA" to be who he was... a sinister force of nature. No matter what his parents, Tori played by Elizabeth Banks and Kyle played by David Denman, did or provided, he was not the kid they had hoped for. Specifically, Elizabeth Banks and her refusal to accept the things that are unfolding right before her eyes. It's the strong concept of a mothers love is unconditional. Maybe a little far in this movie, but it's a stong plot line.

• Great gore scenes. Guess who loves a good gore fest? That's right. THIS GIRL! I won't go into too much detail, just in the case that you decide to go see the movie. I love the some of the effects that they did to give us some pretty gruesome death scenes. I mean, that's what horror is about and THAT is one of the reasons that I gave up a few points on my review. I leave you with two words-- MELTED FACE!!

• Guest appearance by Michael Rooker, or as he is forever known to me, Merle from the Walking Dead.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• I just don't like it when the writers of a movie think you're too dumb to make the conjectures and put the stories together unless they spoon feed it to you in the exposition. THIS. The writing wasn't bad, per se. But there were too many plot holes and pieces that just didn't work in reality. I get that they couldn't use the idea of Superman or the Kents in general, but the story is pretty much Bizarro Superman in an alternate world where he wasn't raised by the Kents. I have to say it, and SPOILER ALERT, but after a few deaths the sheriff comes a'knockin at the Breyer's door and Tori Breyer tells him to go away and HE DOES!? No law enforcement person who I know would just give up like that. That's just one of the many pieces that made me shake my head.

• The first thing I did when I got out of the theater was check my watch. I was CERTAIN that I was in there for more than it seemed. NOPE. That movie was only an 91 minutes long but it seemed like an eternity. It felt like the action sequences were too brief and the exposition was too long. 

• You had a good idea but ruined it with stock scare tactics that were too worn out for me to even jump when I was obviously supposed to.

• All I felt at the end was the obvious sequel in the making to a sub-par movie.

• I Just don't get the upside down laced up sweater as a mask. I don't get it. It's weird.

What QUESTIONS do I now have?

• Possible subtext? Was this a movie about the horror of puberty? Maybe?

BONUS!!As a big fan of The Office, I was happy to see David Denman who played Pam's first finance, Roy Anderson and Matt Jones who was the formidable Zeke, Dwight's cousin. 

On a personal note:

Rare sighting of my husband on the way to the movies. I conned him into a quick picture before we went in.. Dexter Morgan being as cute as he can be.. 3D Printed Jamie Lanisters golden Hand.

Avengers: Endgame

MY RATING: 7 of 10

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 26 April 2019

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Director:Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
Writer:Christopher Markus
Running Time: 3 hours and 1 minute

Staring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner,  Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chadwick Boseman, Brie Larson, Tom Holland, Karen Gillan, Zoe Saldana, Evangeline Lilly. I can keep going! Who's NOT in this movie!

Rating? PG-13

SPOILERS? NO

STORYLINE

After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos's actions and undo the chaos to the universe, no matter what consequences may be in store, and no matter who they face...

MY REVIEW

I say this at the beginning of almost all of the Marvel Universe reviews.. Not a big Marvel fan. However, this was a fun movie, be it depressing and nonsensical in spots, but the story was good. I was nervous about the 3 hour timeline and got a seat at the end of a row to make sure I could escape to pee and at times it did feel like the longest movie on the planet.

I left the movie thinking that it was a 9 and by the time I sat down to write this, I got close to giving it a 6 and landed on a 7. Here's why..

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• One word. THOR. I don't want to get into the specifics, but the THING that is going on with Thor is quite possibly the mot relatable thing that I have seen in any of the Marvel movies so far. It's humanizing and brings such a realism into the idea of what would happen if the poles shifted for some people. Some people just need to be needed. I love this piece. Well done.
• Ant-Man. Paul Rudd has had my heart since he was Josh in Clueless.
• Set and Costume Design
• CGI- A lot of money went into the CGI and it was a triumphant success. I hate it when the CGI pulls you out of a movie for being so badly done!
• I really enjoyed the way this movie brought all of the other Marvel movies together.  
• Last scene with Captain America made my cold heart pitter patter. Love!!

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Editing- To be honest, the pacing could have been better. The first act seemed to drag unnecessarily and expended a lot of effort to show our heroes in emotional turmoil. The second and third acts did speed consecutively ending in a 45 minute action frenzy. ( I did like that)  
• Hipster Hulk
• With the epic list of people in this movie, that is indeed an issue. With that many A list actors, it's hard to give them all the screen time that they need or deserve. I think Hawkeye was given too much screen time.
• Brie Larsen was better, but still not great. 

What QUESTIONS do I now have?

• I have a serious issue with the idea of the timeline they try to alter. They say multiple times that changing the timelines is CHANGING another timeline. So, Tony Stark snaps his fingers and ends Thanos in THIS universe but what about the others? Is that really the end? If he sent Thanos et al back, how does he know not to send Gamora back from 2023? Does that mean 2014 Peter Quill never meets Gamora? Does that timeline still exist? How does Captain America know which lake to sit by? I want answers!!
• Thanos is really just a Eco-Warrior. He saw that there are too many people in the world and we could not sustain the numbers with the current levels of food, water and housing so he basically provided a plague to give those who are left a chance. I kind of appreciate that and in some regards, I don't think he's that bad for just trying to give us a hand. 

On a more personal note..... 

Did you guys know that I love my cats!? So much that I wear cat shirts and take selfies on SnapChat with cat ears! :)