Film Reviews - what have you seen lately, what did you think?

[gingerlover]

Sorry if reviewed already but I just watched "Nobody" on my commute flight. Loved it!

Starring the dude who plays Saul Goodman on Better Call Saul, this is really a spoof of movies like Taken. Sort of the same way Deadpool is a spoof of comic book movies.

The guy is a mild mannered dude trying to just lead a normal boring life, when of course he crosses paths with some bad guys. The bad guys find out in a gratuitously violent way that this dude is actually a retired super-secret badass, and they pay a glorious price for it. I was actually laughing out loud at some of the fight scenes.

Not sure if streaming anywhere but if its free on the airplane its usually on TV somewhere.

Watched this last night and loved it.

 

[ThreatMatrix]

THE BETSY (1978)
... Also getting naked in the film is an intentionally barely legal granddaughter of Olivier's character played by Kathleen Beller. She tries to seduce Tommy Lee Jones by skinny dipping while he's on his balcony, thereby revealing her massive, unkempt 1970s bush, and beautiful big naturals.

She was hot back in the day. Nice to know she exposed her big beautiful breasts.


This is the look she gives me when I've just whipped out my massive appendage and it frightens her a little.

 

[Gatordiddy]

I'll never forget how disappointed my parents, and all of Detroit, were when this movie came out.

This was the very first R-rated movie that I saw in the theaters. Thankfully the Tallahassee Mall theater didn't really check IDs. Regardless of the plot, the full frontal made it worthwhile.

 

[TLB]

This is the look she gives me when I've just whipped out my massive appendage and it frightens her a little.

Sorry, I thought that was 5-star finger posting for a minute.

 

[TheDouglas78]

Black Widow (2021 - Disney Plus): I wasn't that excited about this movie, being that we had already seen the end of her story in End Game. I like a number of the actors in it so that was nice. The story was supposed to fill in some of the time between Civil War and Infinity War. Also answer so lingering questions about her story, as well as apparently set up the next Black Widow (remember comic book property). This could have been another Winter Solider (also favorite MCU movie) like spy triller where they don't have to depend on lasers and big cgi. That isn't what they did, and they also ruined one of the best jokes of the First Avengers movie. It's not horrible and there is some eye candy. But it really just feels flat. It is was released before Infinity War it might have come off better. It's not bad, its just really meh. I give it a solid 6.5/10.


Jungle Cruise (2021 - Theaters): My daughter loves her some Dwayne Johnson (and so does the wife) his charisma really pops of the screen and makes some really schitty movies enjoyable watches (Skyscrapper). This is based on the Jungle Cruise ride, and it could have gone one of two ways like other Dinsey ride movies have gone, Pirates Of the Caribean which knew exactly how insane the idea is or Haunted Manson that didn't know what to do with itself. The plot of the movie is that their is a "tree of life" in the amazon and Emily Blunt who is a woman who won't be heard by the men wants to discover it and she has her Brother who they try to make gay without being gay (too fuching played up) to be they way to get things done (because she is a woman). This movie has a very Mummy (1999) feel to it. Rogue male adventurer with corny jokes (Dwayne Johnson instead of Bredan Fraser), strong intellectual woman (Emily Blunt instead of Rachel Weisz), and effemminate, weakling brother (don't remember don't care). It really feels like a rip off of the Mummy Movie in a different setting. Though the Rock does his best to make it entertaining. It gets a solid 6.5/10.

The Suicide Squad (2021 - HBO Max): The movie that proves to me that James Gunn needs someone like Kevin Feige to reign him in when doing comic book properties. The movie is nuts, playful and very stylish. There is a lot of elements in themselves I really enjoyed, but smashed all together was a what the fuch. James Gunn has a great eye and very much gets the comic book genre, but really needs someone to tell him when it's too much. The characters were really well written and done well, but the tone of movie felt uneven. I wanted to like this movie, especially being I though the first one wasn't horrible until the final act. I won't be going back to this one again. It gets a solid 5/10.

Free Guy(2021 - Theaters): My family and our friends went to go see this. Ryan Reynolds is funny (see Deet's Reynold's boner about Hitman Bodyguard). This movie could have been done extremely well and something new brought to the table. But it wasn't new, exciting, or really that entertaining. The plot was so derivative that even Reynold's humor and charisma couldn't come close to saving it. Much like Suicide Squad there is a lot of individual elements that were really funny, and a number of cameos from the video game community and one particular from the MCU community that were right in tone and done well. But in the end I had seen this movie before, and done better. To see this movie, I would recommend superior films like: The Matrix, The Lego Movie, Tron, The Truman Show, Bolt, and They Live. I really wanted to like this movie.... but when there is a Roddy Roddy Piper Movie that does the same concept better... then well fuch. I give it a very disappointing 4/10.

ThreatMatrix Matrix: Suicide squad had some boobs and ass

Deet Diagram: no homeless ass was drank from

 

[gingerlover]

Paw Patrol (Theater) - My son was dying to see this. It was his reward for helping with my youngest while my wife was out of town. Basically a glorified episode of that stupid show. Nothing I can say about it, but if you have a young kid that's a fan they will love it.

The Courier (Prime) - Doctor Strange plays a business man in England recruited by the CIA in the cold war to travel to Moscow for secrets from a high ranking official that wants to defect. Its a little slow and all about the will they get caught and the aftermath when done. Based on a true story. Found it to slow and at times boring. Espionage can be fun, but not when its just pushing papers. 6/10.

Reminiscence (HBO Max) - Hugh Jackman stars as a guy in a post climate catastrophe world can help those relive their memories. A woman comes in that he falls in love with, but she dissapears and the movie is him unraveling the mystery. You will get bored at times and this is one of his not so great films in my opinion. This is one of his fluff projects, but is better than the one where he becomes a tree. 5/10

Freaky (HBO Max) - This one is actually much better than I expected. This is the one where Vince Vaughn is a serial killer that switches bodies with a teen girl. More of a comedy/horror film. Basically Vaughn acting like a teenage girl has to reverse the curse to not stay that way, while trying to stop the teen girl version from killing half the school. Not a ton of gore and a few funny kills. The humor in this hits as well with his acting and the girl version realizing they are stuck in a weak body. You have an Alan Ruck sighting as well. Horror movies are not Oscar winners, but you should have fun with them. 6.5/10

 

[Gatordiddy]

Paw Patrol (Theater) - My son was dying to see this. It was his reward for helping with my youngest while my wife was out of town. Basically a glorified episode of that stupid show. Nothing I can say about it, but if you have a young kid that's a fan they will love it.

The Courier (Prime) - Doctor Strange plays a business man in England recruited by the CIA in the cold war to travel to Moscow for secrets from a high ranking official that wants to defect. Its a little slow and all about the will they get caught and the aftermath when done. Based on a true story. Found it to slow and at times boring. Espionage can be fun, but not when its just pushing papers. 6/10.

Reminiscence (HBO Max) - Hugh Jackman stars as a guy in a post climate catastrophe world can help those relive their memories. A woman comes in that he falls in love with, but she dissapears and the movie is him unraveling the mystery. You will get bored at times and this is one of his not so great films in my opinion. This is one of his fluff projects, but is better than the one where he becomes a tree. 5/10

Freaky (HBO Max) - This one is actually much better than I expected. This is the one where Vince Vaughn is a serial killer that switches bodies with a teen girl. More of a comedy/horror film. Basically Vaughn acting like a teenage girl has to reverse the curse to not stay that way, while trying to stop the teen girl version from killing half the school. Not a ton of gore and a few funny kills. The humor in this hits as well with his acting and the girl version realizing they are stuck in a weak body. You have an Alan Ruck sighting as well. Horror movies are not Oscar winners, but you should have fun with them. 6.5/10

I've been curious about the latter two movies... thanks Ginger

 

[ThreatMatrix]

Tenet (2021) HBO Max - No doubt you've heard of this. A big timey wimey sci-fi adventure from Chris Nolan. They spent a lot of money on it so they're really hoping you'll watch.
The cast: The bad guy Russian mobster is played by the guy from Chernobyl who has a beard that grows out of his lips. Once you see it you can't unsee it. So Beard Lips is trying to get his hands on the last infinity stone timey-wimey mcguffin. You see with it he can destroy the world. Why does he want to destroy the world? Because he's dying of pancreatic cancer. But not the kind of pancreatic cancer that makes you sick or requires treatment just the kind that drives the plot forward. He has a wife that wants a divorce, probably because she can't stand kissing a guy with beard lips. She is played by the golden queen from Gaurdians II. We'll just call her Gardenia. Our protaginist is a short black guy we'll just call Treon. We know Treon is the protagonist because he literally says "I'm the protagonist". Thanks for the clarification Mr. Nolan. Treon has two sidekicks; one is the dude from Twilight, I think, and the other is the guy from Yesterday. They're not important.
The plot: Oy vey. You might have guessed. Treon trys to stop Beard Lips. But there is a twist. For some reason if you kill Beard Lips it activates the doomsday device so they have to get it before he gets killed or kills himself.
Time-Wimey Shenanigans - As a scientist explains to Treon it's best if you don't think about it, just FEEL it. Very popular sentiment with the liberal crowd. Does it make any sense? Oh hell no. Does it move the plot forward when necessary? You bet. Uselessly there is a whole lot of exposition that pretends to explain what's going on with a shyt ton of techno-babble with words like entropy and proton. All you need to wrap your head around is that bullets can go backwards, but only if made in the future, then sent back to the past, where they've gone forward, then you can go to the past, and make them go backwards. Don't think about it, FEEL it. Now I now what you're thinking. Why not go back in time and remove your pancreas before it gets cancer? But destroying the world and your wife and your son and everybody else is a solid plan too.

Even Joe Bob agrees - Don't check it out.

 

[gingerlover]

Black Widow (Disney Plus) - Set shortly after CA Civil War when Caps team are all in jail or on the run. Dives into her life before Shield when she was a Russian agent and her childhood "family". Has some ok action here and there and some good parts played out by the supporting cast, but feels kind of flat. Plays more as a stand alone action film rather than something that is part of the MCU. She reunites with them and goes on a revenge mission to final shut down the Red Room program that produced her and others like her. The main villian ends up sucking, but at least the end credit scene sets up the future for a supporting character since it looks like they are just copying and pasting some people into the roles. However the mid credit scene was once again a head scratcher as what she said she was going to do was already done by Cap.

While most of the solo films have had others in supporting roles it is just her and completely unrelated to anything that happened in the MCU. The problem is at the point of release no one cared anymore about her backstory. This should have been released back in phase I or II because it creates a lot of questions like where the hell were all these people during Infity and Endgame, and why when Dr. Strange opened up the portals did one not contain an army of Black Widows. The mid credit scene should have been her introducing Red Guardian to Cap. 6/10. One of the weaker MCU movies.

Muppet Haunted Mansion (Disney Plus) - More of a special than a movie. The usual cameos from stars as Gonzo has to stay alive for the night. Kids will like it and has a few things for adults to laugh at in it. For a hour long halloween special for the family its pretty descent. 6/10

Many Saints of Newark (HBO Max) - The movie that is about young Tony Soprano. My wife was a huge Saprano's fan and was pumped for this. Shut it off halfway through and just read the ending. While as advertised as watching Tony rise through the ranks, it has nothing to do with him. Just about who ran the family when he was a kid and some BLM stuff thrown in for the time period. 5/10.

Addams Family 2 - Took my oldest to this as part of his birthday weekend. Wednesday questions if she is really an Adams and a family road trip takes place as she looks for her real family. Has some humor for kids, some for adults. Not as good as the first one, but descent. 5.5/10

News of the World (HBO Max) - Tom Hanks in post civil war America has to take a little girl to her family. This movie is just straight boring. Just them riding the trail and running into all sorts of people while they both deal with loss. 4/10

If anything COVID proved that even big stars are willing to churn out clunkers to keep working. So many movies popping up on Netflix and other streaming platforms this past year that I have never heard of until I'm scrolling through.

 

[gingerlover]

Halloween Kills (Peacock) - the second in the new trilogy that takes place after the original, ignoring everything else. Movie starts with Michael trapped in the burning house, but firefighters unknowingly set him free. Lots of carnage ensues as they thing he is going to the hospital to get Laurie. Meanwhile a group of survivors from the original are in a bar commemorating the loss from 40 years ago. They include the two kids she was babysitting (Tommy is played by Anthony Michael Hall since I guess Paul Rudd wouldn’t come back to play his version from 6), the nurse from the car and a kid he bumped into in the street. They hear the news he’s loose and organize a hunting party of the townspeople including the original Sheriff who’s daughter was a victim. Basically torches and pitchforks. Shows a lot of flashbacks from the police officers side of view and tries to make the story more human in that aspect. Will they get Michael first before he makes it to the hospital or is he simply going home?

once again hard to unload this one without spoilers. It’s a needless movie for the most part in a trilogy that should just be a sequel to wrap things up. You could cut an hour out of this and lose nothing, specifically a side story at the hospital that I get what they are trying to convey, but is needless. They definitely went for a body count record and some are cool. Not many surprises as far as deaths other than one at the end and ends in a cliffhanger for the third. My biggest complaint is that this is supposed to be based more on realism as opposed to the supernatural they introduced in the originals, but their is a big showdown that goes against that and kind of made everything up to that point deflate some. Still my favorite slasher series, aside from Nightmare on Elm Street, not the worst, but they screwed up at a few points. 5/10. Looking to see how they wrap it up in the final one.

 

[Theologator]

No Time to Die - great Bond flick except I didn’t like the ending (no spoilers!) Timely and, given its filming schedule prophetic, concern with a government-funded experiment escaping the lab. Glad I saw it on the big screen.

Shang Chi - Really good change of pace for Marvel. I liked stepping into Chinese art & mythology, sort of a Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dr. Strange interface. Glad I saw it on the big screen.

The Many Saints of Newark - I’m a Sopranos fan but this prequel didn’t really click for me. It’s a B- mob movie that gives a decent feel for its 60’s-70’s setting. There are ample echoes to the key characters in the series but the story meanders. The best parts are James Gandolfini’s son playing young Tony, but that is almost a side bar. Good enough for HBO watching at home, glad I didn’t pay for a theater viewing.

Cry Macho - A solid Clint Eastwood send off. The guy is 90 and still manages to pull it off well. It’s a good story. The acting around him is dorky in spots but excellent in others. Also watched on HBO at home.

 

[ThreatMatrix]

Dune 2021 - HBO Max I didn't read the book(s) which is maybe a good thing. What I know of Dune is the laughable 1984 David Lynch version which has achieved cult status due to it's wildly incomprehensible plot and laughable practical effects. Dune '84 clocks in at 2 hours and 17 minutes yet it was still not long enough to encompass a story as broad as Dune. Denis Villeneuve, in response promised a two parter. And if I have one complaint it's that it leaves you jonesing for part 2. Oh and Dune '84 had more pretty women.

Casting is everything and and there are no misses in this troupe. Oscar Issac as Paul's father Duke Atreides, Jason Mamoa as Paul's warrior big brother figure, Josh Brolin the Duke's trusted General, Javier Bardem the leader of the indigenous Fremen, Dave Bautista "The Beast" leader of the Harkonnen occupiers, and Stellan Skarsgard (Chernobyl) as the hideous Baron (Beast's Boss). Zendaya is teased but only shows up at the very end. As wonderful as the cast is the show stealers for me are Rebecca Ferguson as Paul's mom and Paul himself, Timothee Chalmart. Rebecca is beautiful (damn the PG-13 rating). Timothee is a skinny millennial looking kid that normally I would hate but has excellent acting chops. It's a big movie for a skinny kid to carry yet he is up to the task.

Ze plot: The movie does a good job but it may help to know some things going in. Paul's mom is a priestess of the spooky Bene Gesserit (BG) sisterhood. She has raised Paul in the arts of the BG tho' his powers are still weak. Arrakis, has been mined for a decade by the Harkonnens however the Empire has decided to replace the Harkonnens with the Atreides. Honestly that may be all the setup that you need. The Harkonnens aren't happy they've been displaced and the Empire has ulterior motives for sending Atreides to Arrakis. The BG have been at work on Arrikis teaching the Fremen their pseudo-religion and prophesying that "The One" will come to save them. Is it Paul? Not even the BG are sure.

The movie doesn't stand on it's own as well as you'd like. A lot like Infinity War it leaves you begging for End Game. But the cinematography is beautiful, the acting top notch, and the world building is well done. Watch it or wait. Either way you won't be disappointed. Joe Bob says check it out.

 

[Theologator]

Watched The Invisible Man, 2020 version. It was ok, reasonably well acted and suspenseful. Plot has enough twists to carry me to the end. Disappointing in that it’s entirely from her perspective about him stalking her. He’s a 2-D control freak, the invisibility is just a tool. They could have included some character development for the title character and had a memorable movie. The horror isn’t that he’s invisible and doing awful things, it’s why he went there. 6.5

 

[gingerlover]

Dune 2021 - HBO Max I didn't read the book(s) which is maybe a good thing. What I know of Dune is the laughable 1984 David Lynch version which has achieved cult status due to it's wildly incomprehensible plot and laughable practical effects. Dune '84 clocks in at 2 hours and 17 minutes yet it was still not long enough to encompass a story as broad as Dune. Denis Villeneuve, in response promised a two parter. And if I have one complaint it's that it leaves you jonesing for part 2. Oh and Dune '84 had more pretty women.

Casting is everything and and there are no misses in this troupe. Oscar Issac as Paul's father Duke Atreides, Jason Mamoa as Paul's warrior big brother figure, Josh Brolin the Duke's trusted General, Javier Bardem the leader of the indigenous Fremen, Dave Bautista "The Beast" leader of the Harkonnen occupiers, and Stellan Skarsgard (Chernobyl) as the hideous Baron (Beast's Boss). Zendaya is teased but only shows up at the very end. As wonderful as the cast is the show stealers for me are Rebecca Ferguson as Paul's mom and Paul himself, Timothee Chalmart. Rebecca is beautiful (damn the PG-13 rating). Timothee is a skinny millennial looking kid that normally I would hate but has excellent acting chops. It's a big movie for a skinny kid to carry yet he is up to the task.

Ze plot: The movie does a good job but it may help to know some things going in. Paul's mom is a priestess of the spooky Bene Gesserit (BG) sisterhood. She has raised Paul in the arts of the BG tho' his powers are still weak. Arrakis, has been mined for a decade by the Harkonnens however the Empire has decided to replace the Harkonnens with the Atreides. Honestly that may be all the setup that you need. The Harkonnens aren't happy they've been displaced and the Empire has ulterior motives for sending Atreides to Arrakis. The BG have been at work on Arrikis teaching the Fremen their pseudo-religion and prophesying that "The One" will come to save them. Is it Paul? Not even the BG are sure.

The movie doesn't stand on it's own as well as you'd like. A lot like Infinity War it leaves you begging for End Game. But the cinematography is beautiful, the acting top notch, and the world building is well done. Watch it or wait. Either way you won't be disappointed. Joe Bob says check it out.

Watched this last night myself. Don’t know much about it and while slow paced at times it does leave you hoping the second movie is made.

 

[AugustaGator]

Watched this last night myself. Don’t know much about it and while slow paced at times it does leave you hoping the second movie is made.

Just got through watching it. Lots of wasted action. I like the 1984 version a little better but this one did better with the pragmatism of the plot.

 

[G8trwood]

Watch Dune today too. It is a tough book to adapt…. Lot of known faces. Pretty true to book, but man, slow and cut off before the good stuff..

Seems like many directors want to go the grand cinematography route vs a good watchable movie. Not much dialogue (been 40-50 years since I read the book, so could be all there was) . You could easily play this at 2x….

 

[TLB]

No Time to Die - great Bond flick except I didn’t like the ending (no spoilers!) Timely and, given its filming schedule prophetic, concern with a government-funded experiment escaping the lab. Glad I saw it on the big screen

saw this the other night with my 15yo. She’d never seen any of the series so I was curious on her take. She kept up well, but missed a lot of the historical references and connections (Vespa, blofeld, Felix). But she confirmed that like most all of the series it can stand on its own.

that said, I don’t think it is any spoiler to state this was the send off for Daniel Craig. It’s been known he wanted out and they were looking for the next bond. Idris Elba had been mentioned in recent years, and I was with the majority thinking that would be AWESOME! I will say I was disappointed he didn’t get it (read some articles afterward that interviewed him and gave good reasons for that), but the franchise is in good hands going forward. No serious complaints with the choice, just minor questioning how much is driven by current anti-white male culture. But I can’t name a better choice that idris, so I’ll deal.

ok, I’ll try not to spoil much. At this point bond is retired and off the grid. Something happens with spectre, the arch nemisis evil org that brings him back into it. But there is a new 007 that replaced him and is working on it as well, then Felix pops in and asks for help on behalf of the cia, working parallel, not with, the British org. Loyalties and intent get clouded to a point where it impacts bond deeply and personally, even had me questioning Felix and M (boss of 00x program).

our villain is a new face, and while the backstory is plausible for a bond world, I struggled with the actor. Too soft, quiet, unmenacing. But that somewhat fits his family history and I suppose was not meant to compete for spotlight as much as move the story along - something he did do well.

we wrap up in a way that provides a good farewell to Craig, and provides a decent launch point for the next 007 with a fairly clean slate. But we are going to miss Craig. As much as Sean Connery defined the role on the silver screen, Craig was the next best, well above any others.

not much for skin or sex scenes, only a few gadgets (watch and car, both a nod to Q work earlier in the series). Not heavy with special effects, but t does start off face paced and holds the action nearly throughout. Pauses for story are needed, just to catch your breath. Overall a good watch, worth the big screen price, and won’t disappoint.

 

[Detroitgator]

saw this the other night with my 15yo. She’d never seen any of the series so I was curious on her take. She kept up well, but missed a lot of the historical references and connections (Vespa, blofeld, Felix). But she confirmed that like most all of the series it can stand on its own.

that said, I don’t think it is any spoiler to state this was the send off for Daniel Craig. It’s been known he wanted out and they were looking for the next bond. Idris Elba had been mentioned in recent years, and I was with the majority thinking that would be AWESOME! I will say I was disappointed he didn’t get it (read some articles afterward that interviewed him and gave good reasons for that), but the franchise is in good hands going forward. No serious complaints with the choice, just minor questioning how much is driven by current anti-white male culture. But I can’t name a better choice that idris, so I’ll deal.

ok, I’ll try not to spoil much. At this point bond is retired and off the grid. Something happens with spectre, the arch nemisis evil org that brings him back into it. But there is a new 007 that replaced him and is working on it as well, then Felix pops in and asks for help on behalf of the cia, working parallel, not with, the British org. Loyalties and intent get clouded to a point where it impacts bond deeply and personally, even had me questioning Felix and M (boss of 00x program).

our villain is a new face, and while the backstory is plausible for a bond world, I struggled with the actor. Too soft, quiet, unmenacing. But that somewhat fits his family history and I suppose was not meant to compete for spotlight as much as move the story along - something he did do well.

we wrap up in a way that provides a good farewell to Craig, and provides a decent launch point for the next 007 with a fairly clean slate. But we are going to miss Craig. As much as Sean Connery defined the role on the silver screen, Craig was the next best, well above any others.

not much for skin or sex scenes, only a few gadgets (watch and car, both a nod to Q work earlier in the series). Not heavy with special effects, but t does start off face paced and holds the action nearly throughout. Pauses for story are needed, just to catch your breath. Overall a good watch, worth the big screen price, and won’t disappoint.

If she is the person they are moving forward with, stick a fork in it, it's over, it's done... it'll be as bad (or worse, if that's possible) as the Ghostbuster's remake and Ocean's 8.

 

[TLB]

If she is the person they are moving forward with, stick a fork in it, it's over, it's done... it'll be as bad (or worse, if that's possible) as the Ghostbuster's remake and Ocean's 8.

I don't think it'll be 'bad', not on the level you suggest. But it won't ever be the same, even if they try and bring a guy back into the role later. It's just using an existing franchise to launch a new one in a similar but different direction. I'll wait to her first full one is out, then judge it.

 

[Detroitgator]

I don't think it'll be 'bad', not on the level you suggest. But it won't ever be the same, even if they try and bring a guy back into the role later. It's just using an existing franchise to launch a new one in a similar but different direction. I'll wait to her first full one is out, then judge it.

Yeah, no.