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!

Aquaman

RATINGS

MY RATING: 6

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 21 Dec 2018

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Director: James Wan
Writer:David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Will Beall
Running Time: 2 Hours and 23 Minutes

Staring: Jason Momoa (Like anyone else matters, but there were some other people in the movie) Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Nicole Kidman and Dolph Lundgren

Rating? PG-13

SPOILERS? NO

STORYLINE

Arthur Curry, half human/half Atlantian, goes on a trip of a lifetime. Not only does this adventure compel him to come to terms with his real identity, but it also forces him to discover whether he is entirely worthy of fulfilling his own destiny: becoming a king.

MY REVIEW

I need to say this to set the tone of my review. I'm not a huge DC Comic fan, so I was going into this movie with a mediorce expectations. I'm glad I set that expectation for myself. This was not a HORRIBLE movie and Jason Momoa was wonderful eye candy.

If you're going to watch this movie, and you SHOULD in a theater, you will need to set aside your reality and turn on your suspension of belief meters.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Jason Momoa was not TOOO Momoa. He has been a little over the top snarky in the DC movies that he's been a recurring character. At least his snark was kept to a minimum for this one. There were a few moments that made me giggle though. But seriously!? Who would complain.. HE'S JASON MOMOA. I don't think he's NOT anyones type!
• Cinematography undersea was amazing!
• Soundtrack- What  smorgasbord of awesome music! And I will be adding a few of these to my general work out playlist. 1- Pitbull- "Ocean to Ocean" with sampling of Toto's "Africa" 2- Skylar Grey- "Everything I Need" 3- Depeche Mode- "It's No Good" 4- Roy Orbison- "She's a Mystery to Me" 5- Signor Ros- "Saeglopur"

What was JUST EHHH about this movie:

• CGI- Well, I have to say that there was JUST so much CGI that it almost took me out of the movie. I understand why it was necessary, but it was SOOO over the top. Especially in the first 20 minutes where Nicole Kidman basically looked like a Nicole Kidman mask stretched taught over a face form. 
• The mood shifts are a little off. The characters go between dead serious and cracking jokes way too easily.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• I really had a hard time with the suspension of believe bit. I kept having to remind myself that this was supposed to be this way. I mean, I do love a good fantasy movie but the whole idea of Atlantis and living and breathing people under water. The Aqua-Special Forces with their water breathing suits. The laser cannons. SHARKS with armor and saddles? Seriously! This was a difficult one to get behind.
• Predictable as FUCK!! This was such a linear plot that nothing much was a surprise!

On a more personal note..... 

Just being adorable today. Snapchat took a pretty awesome picture of Dexter Morgan and he basically looked like a hipster cat! AND I'm close to finishing my 3-D printed robot cat.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (Season 1)

RATINGS

IMDB: 7.8 of 10

MY RATING: 7

GENERAL INFORMATION

First Episode Air Date:  28 October 2018

Seasons? x1 right now, 3 in the works.
Watched Where and When: Netflix
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Staring: Kiernan Shipka, Ross Lynch, Lucy Davis, Chance Perdomo, Michelle Gomez and a whole ton more.

Rating? TV-14

SPOILERS? YES

STORYLINE

Reimagined story of the adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult and of course witchcraft. Totally in the vein of Rosemary's Baby and the Exorcist. In this adaptation we find Sabrina Spellman wrestling to reconcile her dual nature of half witch and half mortal, while standing against the evil forces that threaten her and her family and the whole daylight world that humans inhabit.

MY REVIEW

I was not quote young enough to have really enjoyed Sabrina when it was out in the late 90's with Melissa Joan Hart. I did watch a few, but they were too bubble-gum and rainbows for my dark little heart to enjoy. Which is why it was with trepidation that I watched the first episode of this reboot. I liked the idea of a darker and more sophisticated retelling. I watched the first one and then the second episode and then the third and right through the whole eleven episodes in about 2 days. It was not perfect by any means but it was funny, dark and just a ridiculous enough to keep me interested!

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa created an amazing little slice of something that really worked. He was also known for Riverdale, Carrie (2013)m Supergirl and some episodes of Glee and Big Love. Most of the episodes were directed by Rob Seidenglanz, You might know him from some of his little projects like Blindspot, the Following, Jack and Bobby, Party of Five and Suits.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Direction and Storytelling- There were several producers, EP's, AP's and a ton of other P's involved in this tv show and it was the combination of all of those professionals that created the environment that felt like a real story. They were able to get good performances and some great performances from their actors. I liked the dark path, a LOT!
• DARK!! (Not dark enough though, see below)

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Did someone watch Harry Potter a little too much? I think the school of dark magic that is masked with some sort of spell that cloaks it from view. Really not unique.
• I would have appreciated a little more darkness. (Did I mention that I do have a dark little heart!?) Come on with the Satanism! Most intelligent people know that wicca/ witchcraft and most other practitioners of the darker arts are NOT satanists. They worship the earth or earth gods that have nothing to do with Satan or even god for that mater! 
• If they worship the Dark Lord, let's get real, I needed more. It's still a bit too bubble-gum.
• I read this somewhere else, but i laughed when I did because it was SOOO true!! "When someone is killed by rope around the neck the word is hanged. When the 13 were hung, it implies they were dangling in a tree and were not murdered by hanging. Really really annoying."

Life After Beth

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info:  15 July 2014
     Watched on Netflix 1 Nov 2018

Genre: Comedy, Horror, Fantasy
Writer and Director: Jeff Baena
Running Time:  1 Hour and 29 Minutes

Staring: Chock full of recognizable people that I had to use the names of the people they had played in other movies to guess who they were... Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Cheryl Hines, Paul Reiser, Matthew Gray Gubler and Anna Kendrick

Rating? R

SPOILERS? YES

REVIEWS

IMDB: 5.6 of 10

MY RATING: 6 of 10

STORYLINE

A young man's recently deceased girlfriend mysteriously returns from the dead, but he slowly realizes she is not the way he remembered her.

MY REVIEW

I wasn't hopeful after I realized that the plot was achingly similar to Burying the Ex. But I gave it a shot and I was pleasantly surprised. There was just enough humor to keep me interested and the story was actually pretty unique.

So, it is a little overreaching at a few different genres but overall it kinda worked, hence the 6 and not a 2! The humor alone was enough to keep me interested.  The best way I can describe this movie is a Zombie filled romantic comedy!

SPOILERS START HERE!!!
The premise is pretty generic. The dead begin coming back to life but have no idea that they are dead and go about their lives like nothing happened, at first. After a few days, they begin to get aggressive, decompose and well, eat people. Beth (Aubrey Plaza) had apparently went hiking and was bitten by a snake and died. Her distraught boyfriend Zach (Dane DeHaan) and parents (Molly Shannon and John C. Reilly) begin an odd friendship that ends abruptly for Zach. Determined to find out what has happened, he eventually finds out that Beth has returned from the dead along with a few other local folks.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• My favorite part was new the end when Beths mom, Geenie (Molly Shannon) has Beth (Aubrey Plaza) chained to the stove and Zach (Dane DeHaan) asks where Beth's dad Maury (John C. Reilly) is and her response is "Well, Beth kind of ate his face."
• Aubrey Plaza dumps her typical snarkishness for this witty overdramatic character of Beth.
• Molly Shannon and John C. Reilly PURE GOLD! They were amazing!

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Paul Reiser and Cheryl Hines are wasted. Not enough really for them. But in reality, it think the ensemble cast was just too big.
• Plot and story were predictable, funny, but predictable.
• And then Anna Kendrick shows up for pretty much no reason.....
• The end is really ridiculous. Just ends with the lights coming on and the news saying that the "thing" is over? What the literal hell was that?

Don't Kill It

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 3 March 2017 (Netflix)

Genre:Action, Comedy, Fantasy
Director:Mike Mendez
Writer: Dan Berk and Robert Olsen
Running Time: 83 Minutes

Staring: Dolph Lundgren, Kristina Klebe and a cast of people that I've never heard of and I'm sure you haven't either!

Rating? UNRATED (For a reason)

SPOILERS? YES

REVIEWS

IMDB: 5.2 of 10

MY RATING: 4 of 10

STORYLINE

When an ancient demon is accidentally unleashed in the sparsely populated Mississippi town of Chickory Creek.

MY REVIEW

You know, when there is an UNRATED straight to Netflix movie and I tell myself, "Self, go ahead, they can't be all bad!" I should go ahead and kick myself in the face! I gave one point for Dolph Lundgren and his old ass attempting to be a sexy demon hunter and one additional point for it being JUST stupid enough to be amusing enough to watch until the end. To be honest, it wasn't THAT horrible. It was not pretending to be anything that it was not. It was corny and the dialogue was horrible.

SPOILERS BELOW!!

Let's start with the idea that the main character, played with the devotion of an emotionless automaton by Dolph Lundgren was named JEBEDIAH! The premise is pretty simple. Demon is unleash on a small Mississippi town and when it is killed it takes the body of the one who killed it, hence the title "Don't Kill It." Seems like the writer just took some old myths from the 1500's and injected the plot of Fallen and added a sprinkle of Dolph and a few well endowed actresses and voila!

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Bloody violent. Yeah, you heard me. THAT is what I liked about this movie. Mainly because everything else was so mediocre.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Cheesy one-liners galore and most of them fell flat.
• What about that ending? Really
• Hire a technical consultant! I mean seriously, In the first act of the movie, one of the actors is submersed in boiling water and immediately is showing bubbles and boils. Yeah, that's not gonna happen at all!

On a more personal note..... 

Pretty cute pic of Dexter Morgan and Lord Oliver.... AND BRAVES win 2018 NL East!! 

Avengers: Infinity War

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 27 April 2018
    12 August 2018

Director:Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
Writer:Christopher Markus
Running Time:  2 Hours and 29 Min

Staring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Holland and like 42K other people.

Rating? PG-13

SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS

IMDB: 8.6 of 10

MY RATING: 6

STORYLINE

The Avengers and their allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.

MY REVIEW

I didn't hate it. I also didn't love it. I am not a big Marvel fan, except for IronMan and Captain America. The best way that I can describe this movie is chaotic. Its an overwhelming blend of many plots and stories that are all jammed up into one. It has elements that bind, but it's just soooo much to take in. I had a hard time with the plot the most.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• It was a fun movie. I liked the fight scenes.
• IronMan and Cap. :) Big hearts there!

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Plot- Seriously? What the literal hell? This was the most strung out plot that was paper thin to relate the unhinged stories together.. Should really have been more than one movie.
• Thanos- Yes, he's a pretty bad dude, but his backstory and plan almost make him relatable for me. I mean, I kind of identify with him the most in the movie. Maybe I am a bad guy. I can get with that! The writers failed to consistently take the plot that was provided and extend to the movie. I mean at one point in Guardians of the Galaxy, they defined the strength of the Infinity Stones and in this one  when Thanos has 4 of the 5 he can be held down by IronMan and a few others? Seems unlikely.
• More Bad Guys- So there are like a lot of new bad guys that are on screen (Black Order, random boneless guy, Blue chick with horns, Rock dude with a goatee and a pointy-axe wielding guy who we are never really appropriately introduced to.  Like I said, I am not a huge Marvel fan so as a non comic reader, i have no idea who these people are!~

On a more personal note..... 

I added a new piece to the collection. I did a piece in chalk pastels and I have to say, I think it turned out pretty stellar! I just might hang this one up in the house! Took a selfie with curly hair! Rocket really wanted to try a banana.

Solo: A Star Wars Story

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 25 May 2018

Director: Ron Howard
Writer:Jonathan Kasdan and Lawrence Kasdan
Running Time: 2 Hours and 15 Minutes

Staring: Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Joonas Suotamo, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Paul Bettany and Jon Favreau

Rating? PG-13

SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS

IMDB: 7.2 of 10

MY RATING: 7

STORYLINE

During an adventure into the criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his future co-pilot Chewbacca and encounters Lando Calrissian years before joining the Rebellion.

MY REVIEW

I don't know if you guys know this, but I am a huge Star Wars nerd! Crazy right?!?! Well, This movie was much anticipated and the lingering questions for me were: 1) was Alden Ehrenreich going to be acting like Harrison Ford acting like Han Solo or was he going to place his own stamp on the role. Answer Below. 2) What foolishness was Disney going to do to my Han? Again, answers below.

For me, this was a fun ride. Yes, I did find some of it a little over the top and it could have been a little better, hence the 7 and NOT a 10!!

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• It told a story. I will give it that. It was not overly complicated. It was not overly dramatic. It was a story. This is why I give it a 7. Could have been better. I know this was a point of contention and the re-writes were plentiful, even causing almost a year of additional filming. Good job, but you did not wow me Ron Howard.
• Personal Letter to Alden Ehrenreich. You did a good job with Han. I was truly afraid that you were going to be acting like Harrison Ford playing Han Solo. You did not. You brought yourself to the role and I personally enjoyed your spin. It was subtle, but it was Han.  
• Personal Letter to Disney. Okay, you did just about right with this one. Please keep the the middle of the road and DON'T fuck up the rest. 
• Solo/Chewy chemistry.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• As a Star Wars fan, I did find the fact that they overplayed the moment when Han gets his gun. I mean, seriously, I get it. His gun, I seeee it!! 
• A bit on the predictable side. The story is a bit less dramatic than I would have liked. I understand they are pandering to a  whole new generation of Jedis who don't have the years and YEARS of watching Episodes 4, 5 and 6 a billion times.
• Khaleesi needs to go back to Game of Thrones. Yeah, not a huge fan of her portrayal of Qi'ra.

On a more personal note..... 

So, good for me that I had a special tee shirt to wear to the opening of Solo. It's my swag from Star Wars Celebration last year in Orlando. Star Wars 40th Anniversary. Needless to say... you can see from the pics that I was adorably cute to see Solo!! Perfect timing to get the Perfect middle seat that I love and get my obligatory "shoes on the seat" photo before the movie started.

Annihilation

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 23 Feb 2018

Director: Alex Garland
Writer:Alex Garland and Jeff VanderMeer
Running Time: 1 Hour and 55 Minutes

Staring: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson and Oscar Isaac

Rating? R

SPOILERS? NO 

REVIEWS

IMDB: 7.1 of 10

MY RATING: 4

STORYLINE

A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature do not apply.

MY REVIEW

My first thought was that I needed to watch this movie again but I really just don't want to.  I just don't know what this movie thought that it was. It wasn't suspense, horror, sci-fi, action.. It didn't fit into any bucket of common connectivity to a specific genre.  Realistically, at the end I just didn't care.

I understand that they might have been going for artistic license, but this was a tad bit shy of the line, It missed the bar.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• The CGI was pretty good. It's standard at best, but it was a good part of the movie. 
• Production quality. Its sad that the pieces of this movie that I liked the most are the background pieces.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• I was expecting a mid-bending romp through an alternate reality in the "shimmer" from the trailers. What I for was a hoping for was an existential plot that would make me question my own reality. I mean, Jeff Garland was responsible for Ex Machina {Link to my review}that I found to be absolute perfection. What I got was a slow burn that never quite ignited. 
• Mentioned this already, tonally, this was a hot mess. This movie just didn't know what it wanted to be. The story and delivery were muddy at best. It was as if the writers took a smoke break and let someone else finish.
• This was an R RATED movie. Why the hell did all the flashback sex scenes have little nudity or sex for that matter? 

What QUESTIONS do I now have?

• So a bunch of TRAINED MARINES went in and all dies, so let's send in the lady scientists? Yeah, that made sense.

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Star Wars: The Last Jedi

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 15 December 2017

Director: Rian Johnson
Writer: Rian Johnson based on characters by George Lucas
Running Time: 2 Hours and 32 Minutes

Staring:  Mark Hamill,  Carrie Fisher ,  Adam Driver,  Daisy Ridley,  John Boyega,  Oscar Isaac,  Andy Serkis,  Lupita Nyong'o,   Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels,   Gwendoline Christie, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern and Benicio Del Toro

Rating? PG-13

SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS

IMDB: 7.8 of 10

MY RATING: 8

STORYLINE

Rey develops her newly discovered abilities with the guidance of Luke Skywalker, who is unsettled by the strength of her powers. Meanwhile, the Resistance prepares to do battle with the First Order.

MY REVIEW

OMG! OMG! OMG! I was waiting for this one to come out for such a long time! I tried to remain spoiler free fro the most part but there were a handful of things that slipped past. Luckily for me, they did not ruin the movie. Since the news that Disney was taking over the Star Wars franchise I had mixed emotions. On one hand, I didn't want them to ruin the legacy that George Lucas created and on the other, I knew that Disney would revive the series and put out a lot more for me to watch. I am still torn.

I wanted to love this movie. I really did. I had the highest of hopes and was ready to write a review and call this movie a 10! I will not be doing so. I left the movie on Friday night with a kind of lack of enthusiasm that I do not expect from a Star Wars movie. It took a day or so and a few more viewings to really let the story sink in and I think that made it go from a strong 6 to a full on 8.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• The Last Jedi proposes a new idea that I absolutely love. YES, the Jedi Order CAN end. The Force does not need to live within a Jedi, but can live independently within us all. This was the strongest of the themes that stuck with me after the movie. I love the idea that each one of us caries some piece that can be awakened into magic!
• JOHN WILLIAMS- THIS IS STAR WARS. The Music off John Williams will always be the glue that hold all of the Star Wars universe together for me. It's classic. Its fun to listen to and it's forever.
• New worlds. New people. New circumstances.
• STAR WARS!!!!

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• I will not say too much as this is a spoiler-- Princess Leia. Seriously. Did that really happen? Couldn't they just let that one go and let us move on? No, so, no what? How are you going to deal with that in the next movie Rian Johnson!?
• Holdo? Hold on! I think the addition of new characters into the SW family is awesome. I love seeing new folks get a chance to love out their dreams in this universe! I think the story arch that she was in would have been more poignant if they had let Admiral Akbar or Leia take on that task. It would have left us with a more meaningful idea.
• There was a bit tooo much humor. I did enjoy some of the laughs as it did bring back some of the fun aspects of Episode 4. But it was a bit over the top.
• Kylo Ren's flip flopping. Just be bad or be good. Pick one and move the hell on!
• Benicio del Toro plays himself. Enough said.

What QUESTIONS do I now have?

• Snoke? I get it, he's just Snoke. He's not a different character reborn as Snoke. I know after the Empire fell the First Order took over with the Knights of Ren but they seems to have their shit together a little more than the Empire. I just need to understand Snoke's origin.
• Rey's Parents? Did Kylo Ten lie to her or are her parents "nobody" just like the young Anakin?

On a more personal note..... 

WE WERE ON THE NEWS! Terry and I were interviewed about our love of Star Wars! 

LINK HERE.

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Justice League

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 17 Nov 2017

Director: Zack Snyder
Writer: Chris Terrio and Joss Whedon
Running Time: 120 Minutes

Staring:   Ben Affleck ,  Henry Cavill ,  Amy Adams ,  Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Jason Momoa and Ray Fisher

Rating? PG-13

SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS

IMDB: 7.5 of 10

RT: Critics: 39% Audience: 85%
MY RATING: 6

STORYLINE

Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of meta humans to stand against this new threat. Despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes, Batman, WW, AquaMan, Cyborg and The Flash may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.

MY REVIEW

First, I'd like to say that this MAY have gotten a lower rating simply for the fact that I was sitting in a theater (Lynnhaven Mall) with the dregs of society, i.e.: tiny humans and their handlers as well as medium humans with little respect for cinema rules such as turn off your cell phone and stop the jibber jabber!

I do give Zack Snyder some credit for a decent movie. I loved some of his previous movies such as Suicide Squad, 300 and Watchmen.

It was definitely not a BAD movie. There were a few things that I really enjoyed however, there were not enough to get the rating for me past a six. Let's discuss.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Jason Momoa- Dear Mr. Momoa- Can you please just leave your shirt off forever? K-Thanks!
• The comedic interjection from The Flash. I can see the Joss Wheedon humor in this. Love me some Joss!

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Length!- This movie was really just too long. Between the 22 minutes of previews and the 2 hour movie. I was twisting and turning in my seat. Seriously, next time, I need to go to Strawbridge, where I can at least sit in a recliner!
• The League Itself- Not saying too much here, but Batman just got everyone together and they are all good to go? I mean is there some sort of Superhero Monthly Mixer so no one is really a stranger? I didn't think the movie gave me enough to feel the group is a team other than a mishmash of meta-heroes working together. They were stiff and plainly one-dimensional. Didn't really see much to talk about.
• Theme and Cohesion of Story- This is a patchwork of stories and themes that are all muted together into a movie that is FAR TOO long!
• The Villain- What a downer! I just felt like there was nothing there. His plot line was so weak

On a more personal note..... Had a lovely brunch this morning with my friend Melissa and then off to finish grocery shopping and finally to the movies! Bonus- Here's the K2SO head that we printed on the 3-D printer last week!

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Beauty and the Beast

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 17 March 2017
     9 September 2017 

Director: Bill Condon
Writer: Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos
Running Time: 129 Minutes

Staring: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans and Josh Gad

Rating? PG

SPOILERS? Yeah, but it's not a new story

REVIEWS

IMDB: 7.3 of 10

MY RATING: 3 (3 for the Movie, 0 for the Story itself)

STORYLINE

"A tale as old as time..." An adaptation of the fairy tale about a monstrous prince and a young woman who fall in love...

MY REVIEW

I obviously didn't go see this in the theaters.. I will NOT go see a kids movie with actual kids near me. Not my thing. I did however, watch it at my friend Melissa's house on her comfy couch.  I was not expecting to like this movie but I did, to some extent.  Yes, I know I gave it a 3 and that's pretty low, but it was the story that could not let me go any higher.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• I actually appreciated the musical interludes.
• CGI had its moments of being pretty great with the Beast. He had some pretty well done hair movement that I was not really expecting.
• Josh Gad! I think he was my favorite part of the movie. He was amazing!

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie: Point to be made, it's not the MOVIE that I didn't like, it's the actual story. I have NEVER liked Disney movies or stories much due to the fact that most are sexist, racist and just plain inappropriate for modern society.

• Well, what I didn't like is STILL the same thing that I didn't like when I first read this book and saw the movie as a kid. It's freaking Stockholm Syndrome! (No, I didn't know that word as a kid, but when I realized what it was, I knew!)
• Unmarried women who can't feed themselves are begging in the streets and there is no compassion. A "beast" lives in the area and has an opulent home while the townspeople have little or nothing. It's the 99%! 
• Belle seems to be an entitled bitch! She is always seen making comments about the small town and showing her contempt for provincial life. She is willingly taken as a prisoner but decides to allow the 'slaves' of the Beast to serve her. Basically, marry for money. Terrible message.

On a more personal note..... Took a quick selfie on the way to Chad and Melissa's and of course a few of the kids! Isabella, Jinx and Rocket.

Wonder Woman

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 2 June 2017

Director: Patty Jenkins
Writer: Allan Heinberg and Zack Snyder
Running Time: 2 Hours and 21 Minutes

Staring:  SO many great actors that to name JUST a few seems trite, but here goes...Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright and Danny Huston.

Rating? PG-13

SPOILERS? X

REVIEWS

IMDB: 8.4 of 10

RT:  Critics: 94%; Audience: 93%
MY RATING: 9, Strong 9

STORYLINE

Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when a pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers and her true destiny.

MY REVIEW

I'd like to begin my review with a love letter to director Patty Jenkins.
Dear Patty, if I may call you Patty. What a wonderful filmography you have under your belt. The Killing, Arrested Development, Monster and  now you've added Wonder Woman. What a wonderful, empowering and beautifully done movie. Thank you for this! We need more directors, women directors to prove that we do NOT need a man behind the helm of an action packed blockbuster to crate a sensation! THANK you for not making her Catwoman or even Ekektra. THANK you for making her the Wonder Woman that we deserve! Big hearts, Patty. 
Now that's out of the way. THIS is a pretty damn good movie. Yeah, there were some flaws, it's not a 10, well, I really only give 10's to movies that have lightsaber battles!

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• True Storytelling- This movie makes you WAIT for the plot to develop. It does  not ask, it demands. 
• Chris Pine- I was not expecting this to be the performance that builds him an Oscar nomination, but this was a good, solid performance. He brought some levity and fun to the screen and let the STAR, Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) take her place in the limelight. Does not hurt that he is a big chunk of eye-candy!
• Supporting Cast- You know, this movie would not have been so solid without the performances given by the throng of amazing people such as Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright and Danny Huston to call out a few. Even Chris Pine played his part so well in her immense shadow. There was so much heart and soul in this movie!
• Cinematography- From the first scene to the last, there was much amazing work that allows the watcher to fall away from reality and immerse into the world on the screen. My favorite scenes were those in her flashback to being a child. (Trying not to give anything away.)

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Villains- This main bad guy just left me a little flat. Wanting more. Not a deal-breaker, but definitely was less than perfect. It just felt a little obvious to use the WWI era Germans as the bad guys. I know we were all expecting it, but it did feel a bit overplayed.
• CG- Definitely not the best at all times. At least there was only one scene that made me do my "What in the wold were they thinking doing THAT with CGI?" cringe!

On a more personal note..... Rocked some serious POLKA DOTS today!

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