The Nun

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 7 Sept 2018

Director: Corin Hardy
Writer:Gary Dauberman and James Wan
Running Time: 1 Hour and 36 Minutes

Staring:Demián Bichir, Taissa Farmiga and Jonas Bloquet

Rating? R

SPOILERS? NO- ish

REVIEWS

IMDB: 6.1 of 10

MY RATING: 3

STORYLINE

A priest with a haunted past and a novice on the threshold of her final vows are sent by the Vatican to investigate the death go a young nun in Romania and confront a malevolent force in the form of a demonic nun.

MY REVIEW

I think the Conjuring follow-on's are getting a little overboard. I mean, how many more can they really get in there with the ridiculous antics of Ed and Lorraine Warren. I'm all for a good scary movie, but when so meany people take the words that the filmmakers say in these as gospel and fail to research this duo of duplicity and know that they are frauds and have been debunked a number of times.

That being said, lets get back to the movie itself. It's not a great or even unique story. It's not great acting or cinematography. It's bland at best. It's lacking a certain joie de vivre that usually comes with a James Wan film.

What is it that makes a horror movie great.. we need to be gradually brought into the world and be given a well crafted tension that does not reveal too much that sets up a compelling dramatic conclusion. This film brings none of that to me life.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Setting- It's sad when the best thing that I have to say about a movie is that the set decorations were pretty stellar. I loved the look of the Romanian castle. The oddly satisfying amount of crosses in some scenes was pretty unsettlingly perfect.
• Twist- There was a little twist, LITTLE. By no means enough to save this film.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• STOP SHOWING ME THE DEMON!! Come on, this is rule Number 1! The more you show the bad thing, the less power it has!
• Plot- What plot. It just feels like someone threw a bunch of plot ideas on the floor, gathered them and made a movie.
• Jump Scares- typically, I do love a good jump scare. This is just missing the whole point here. Yes, there are jump scares but my issue is that they are too obvious and not scary enough to hold their own. It felt like the jump scares were placed to keep the watcher from being g bored to death at times.
• Writing- The dialogue is a MESS!

On a more personal note..... 

I painted a set of Storm Trooper/Kiss pieces that will eventually go into the living room.  Rocket and Dexter were pretty amazingly adorable! I played on SnapChat and pretended to be a cat!!

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.

Ant-Man and the Wasp

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 6 July 2018

Director: Peyton Reed
Writer:Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers
Running Time: 1 Hour and 58 Minutes

Staring: Paul Rudd,  Evangeline Lilly, Michael Peña, Walton Goggins, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer, Hannah John-Kamen, Michelle Pfeiffer, Laurence Fishburne and Michael Douglas

Rating? PG-13

SPOILERS? NO 

REVIEWS

IMDB: 7.7 of 10

MY RATING: 5

STORYLINE

As Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) balances being both a Super Hero and a father, Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly)  and Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) present an urgent new mission that finds Ant-Man fighting alongside the Wasp to uncover secrets from their past.

MY REVIEW

So, in all honesty, I was prepared for this to be a "sequel." you know, where the first one was decent and the second is passable...(Ant-Man, my review from July 2015). It wasn't bad. It was actually pretty funny in some spots. It just wan't THAT great. I never found myself rooting for the hero/heores. Ant-Man is a very typical anti-hero with him being an ex-con and just kind of passable in most areas.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• It was fun. Plenty of one-liners and moments that are pretty amusing, not enough to make me laugh out loud though.
• 
  

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Could the writers have added a few more words? It's like they just re-used the word QUANTUM to further the plot. I mean it was like 46 times!
• Pacing could have been smoother.
• Maybe one too many jokes. It felt a little overwhelming with stuff that you were supposed to find funny.

On a more personal note..... 

Had a great time this week with my friend Missy and her little mini person, Ava. That kid is growing on he, but I would not trade my cats for anything. Also, F&%k Pollen!

Sicario: Day of the Soldado

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 29 June 2018

Director: Stefano Sollima
Writer: Taylor Sheridan
Running Time: 2 Hours and 2 Minutes

Staring: Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, Isabela Moner, Catherine Keener, Matthew Modine and Elijah Rodriguez

Rating? R

SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS

IMDB: 7.5 of 10

MY RATING: 8

STORYLINE

The drug war on the US-Mexico border has escalated as the cartels have begun trafficking terrorists across the US border. To fight the war, federal agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) re-teams with the mercurial Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro).

MY REVIEW

Refer to my review of Sicario. I really loved that movie and had high hopes for this one. What had me worried? Well, the original director, Denis Villeneuve was amazing and I think he brought a lot to the movie. This director, Stefano Sollima, is new to me and his repertoire is basically Spanish language writing and directing.  BUT, Taylor Sheridan reprises his role as writer. His long credit list speaks for itself as both a writer, actor and a director.

This movie was a hit on almost all levels for me. The subtle score, the settings and the general idea of the story. It was intriguing and poignant. We're in a world where terrorism is now a daily occurrence and the things that we have to do may not always seem right or even just, but  sometimes the ends justify the means and sometimes they do not. This movie puts your brain to work and makes you think. I love when movies treat me like I know what the hell is going on and not spoon-feed me the story. I have a fucking brain. Great job on that.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• The Brolin/Del Toro combination is on FIRE! They play off of each other so well and the fact that they are uniquely different just makes it that much better. 
• This movie is intense. There are so many things that you just want to be mad at in this film as a human. 
• What movie aficionado would NOT just love the cinematography in this movie? The wide shots on the dead terrain on the other side of the border were brilliant.
• The violence is exactly what is needed in a movie like this. It would have felt less real. 

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Some basics of the plot I found to be a little less thought out. There were times when as a viewer, I couldn't really tell if the action and sub-action were in the same time period, near each other or days apart.
• There are a few things hat stick out as just off. I don't want to give you all of the pieces, but fi I saw it, you guys will.

On a more personal note..... 

Wore a Hiscox USA T-Shirt to work. Realized that Jinx has become a little too used to sitting on the bookshelf in my office.

Adore

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 3 April 2013
     Watched on Netflix 2018 June 30

Wrier and Director: Anne Fontaine
Running Time: 1 Hour and 52 Minutes

Staring: Naomi Watts, Robin Wright, Xavier Samuel, James Frecheville and Ben Mendelsohn
Rating? R, well deserved

SPOILERS? YES

REVIEWS

IMDB: 6.2 of 10

MY RATING: 8

STORYLINE

A pair of childhood friends fall for each others sons,

MY REVIEW

You know those movies where you are basically on the edge of your seat as it ends hoping that there will be some sort of second movie or continuation that will keep the story going? Yeah, this was one of those for me. I just want to know what happens to Lil and Tom and Roz and Ian. It is definitely like watching a trainwreck in progress knowing that this will not end well.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Sometimes, you just can't help who you are attracted to or with whom you fall in love. This movie is that exact situation played out in just under 2 hours. Passion and attraction can lead you to do insane, crazy things that you can't control.
• The story felt real. There were twists and turns that could not be helped. It wasn't overly sexual or overly dramatic just for the sake of a movie plot. 
• Scenery in Australia cannot be beat. The homes on the cliff leading down to the beach brought an unnamed character into the movie.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• I felt like the premise was intentionally provocative but did not delve far enough. I mean, yes, it's insane to think that two women could fall for and ultimately begin sexual relationships with their friends adult sons, but the loves end and the young men eventually meet/marry and have children with women their won age. But one of them go back to the familiar love with the older mom next door. It's off somehow.
• The jilted Dad, Roz's husband who has already raised his child with her and has a new job far away, which really allowed his wife to stray, then gets married again to a younger woman and has a new baby and that's not the least bit subversive here. The new step-mom and the sons are roughly the same age. Talk about double standards! Sheesh!

On a more personal note..... 

Just hanging out with the little kittens today. Dex and Oliver bonded a little.

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.

A Quiet Place

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: Opened in the US on 6 April 2018
     Watched in Theaters 14 April 2018 

Director: John Krasinski
Writer: Bryan Woods and Scott Beck
Running Time: 1 hour and 30 Minutes

Staring: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski and Millicent Simmonds

Rating? PG-13

SPOILERS? JUST ONE!!

REVIEWS

IMDB: 8.1 of 10

MY RATING: 4

STORYLINE

A family is forced to live in silence while hiding from creatures that hunt by sound.

MY REVIEW

I saw a lot of hype for this movie on social media. I mean even Chris Pratt posted on Instagram that we should all stop what we are doing and go see this movie. Thanks Star Lord. Thanks for that!

I love a good Sci-Fi/horror/psychological movie and this had the makings to be that movie. I liked the idea that the trailers were purporting. Silence is the only way they can survive. I gave it a shot. Luckily, I went during a matinee so I saved some money. It was a good concept with some disappointing choices

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• The use of silence was definitely well done with the sound design, camera angle choices and use of the characters motion to further the story. That being said, it DID make the story feel a little longer than it really was.
• Millicent Simmonds was pretty awesome. She really did a great job, in silence, bringing her character to life. 
• I did LIKE how the film did not spend 20-30 minutes explaining what the creatures were and where they came from and just got on with the show. Although it does become a little maddening at a second thought to not really know what brought there here. Are they terrestrial? are they extraterrestrial? Are they a scientific experiment gone terribly wrong? Was this just setting us up for a sequel? (Me thinks the sequel might be the most obvious option)

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• I WATCH movies. I pay attention and I see things that some do not. There were just too many plot devices used that just didn't make sense to me. I'll try to pass a few over without too many details to ruin the movie for you guys!
• So, the whole idea is that the "creatures" hunt with sound. W learn that the family is living in COMPLETE silence to stay alive. We learn roughly halfway through the movie of a place they go to that apparently blocks out the creatures hearing. Why don't they live there? Wouldn't that be a safer apace to live?
• They have a lot of power for a post-disaster sound hunting creature with no hint of a generator. Hmmmm.
• The nail scene. You'll see what I'm talking about. Carpenters daughter here. I know how nails work. That was not good, art/prop master. Not good at all.
• The rules set in the movie change too often. One sound brings a monster in 10 seconds and another seems not to make a difference. It's maddening at a certain point.
• ONE SPOILER!  Why the HELL would you watch your children in danger in this world gone mad and DECIDE to NOT use every precaution in the world to NOT become pregnant? I am dumbfounded by this fact! 

On a more personal note..... 

Spent some time with the kittens this afternoon. I love the little boogers!

Ready Player One

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 29 March 2018
     Watched 7 April 2018

Director:  Steven Spielberg
Writer: Zak Penn and Ernest Cline
Running Time: 2 Hours and 20 Minutes

Staring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, T.J. Miller and a few more

Rating PG-13

SPOILERS? NO 

REVIEWS

IMDB: 7.9 of 10

MY RATING: 8

STORYLINE

When the creator of a virtual reality world called the OASIS dies, he releases a video in which he challenges all OASIS users to find his Easter Egg, which will give the finder his fortune.

MY REVIEW

This movie is a near-genius love letter to pop culture penned with a pink feather quill signed with a sparkly heart over the i.  I loved every minute of the 2+ hours of this movie. Yes, there were some spots that I found derivative and even silly, however, the nerd in me was in heaven.
*Please note that I have not read the book!

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Love, love love the use of pop culture icons all over the place. Prince, Michael Jackson, Star Wars characters and many, many more. This was nostalgia from my childhood on steroids. 
• I saw the 3-D version of this movie and it was almost so subtle that at times I forgot that I was even wearing the silly glasses.
• I CAN'T EVEN! This soundtrack was awesome. I quite nearly sang along, mostly internally, to every song. 
• Steven Spielberg as a director was perfection. He did an amazing job combining the dual settings of a futuristic overly-crowded city to the OASIS where people's every fantasy can be reality.
• THE SHINING!! That is all I am going to say. If you are a horror fan, you will find a smile in a few spots in this movie. I think there was an actual tear!! :)

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Not overly cheesy, a little cheese but super light.
• Would have loved to see the R-Rated version of this. PG-13 is not something that I typically go for, but the idea of this movie was intriguing.

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Slasher- The Executioner

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 2016 Canadian TV Show available in Netflix

Creator: Aaron Martin
Running Time: 8 Episodes, 45-55 minutes each

Staring: Katie McGrath, Brandon Jay McLaren, Christopher Jacot, Steve Byers, Patrick Garrow, Dean McDermott and Jefferson Brown

Rating? Unrated, Made for TV

SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS

IMDB: 6.6 of 10

MY RATING: 7

STORYLINE

A young woman returns to the small town where her parents were murdered, only to find the past re-emerging as a new series of murders begin.

MY REVIEW

BINGE-WORTHY tv horror. No, it's not the greatest thing in the world. No, it
s not going to win an Emmy. But, the story is decent, the casting is average and the gore is above board.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Violent. Not for kids. This was perfect. Just not a great dinner-time watch!
• It was definitely a fun watch. For those of us who enjoy trying to figure out the "real killer" behind the masked ones. This was an enjoyable task over 8 episodes. It was a little obvious close to the middle, but it was good. I guessed wrong for the first half!

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Katie McGrath is Irish and it was pretty obviojs
• It's B-level, Canadian Horror TV. Enough Said.

Jekyll and Hyde

GENERAL INFORMATION

View Date and Location: 3 Mar 2018 and the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Virginia Beach

Director: Jeff Calhoun

REVIEWS

MY RATING: 8

STORYLINE

No need to go into the story. We all know Jekyll and Hyde. Perfect Retelling

CAST

Constantine Maroulis as Dr. Jekyll and his alter ego DrMr. Hyde
Deborah Cox as Lucy
Teal Wicks as Emma Crew

MY REVIEW

My most favorite theater companion is the one who called me on a Sunday morning and said.. Hey, I've got an extra ticket to go see Jekyll and Hyde, wanna go? Basically, Lisa is awesome and I love to hang out with her and I jumped at the chance. Put on my fancy outfit and headed to meet her at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Town Center.

What a spectacular show! This was pretty amazing to watch, I had no idea who the main guy was, (American Idol guy) because I really don't watch  it, but man was his voice something else!

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• DIRECTION- Generally the direction was pretty good. There were a few things that were not quote to my liking, but they were not of real consequence.
• COSTUME DESIGN- This felt like a retelling in a Victorian- Steam Punk
• SET DESIGN- Local set artistry felt pretty spot on. I have to give credit to small theaters when they have to change set so quickly. The multi-use sets and wheels were perfect.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• COMPOSITION- The only that felt a little off was the music styling of loud rock music as the main theme. It was not exactly what I thought I would hear. Don't get me wrong, it was interesting, but unexpected and not quite right for me. It felt disjointed to the setting for me.