Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Furiosa was a wonderful spectacle of car stunts and wasteland violence it lived up to Furt Road’s aesthetic and grandeur. I was impressed by the skills of every stunt person involved and during action sequences I was on the edge of my seat. The two headliners of the film Chris Hemsworth and Anya Taylor Joy delivered exceptionally entertaining performances. Hemsworth’s was comical yet insane and Joy’s dramatic and cunning. There was a lot to enjoy about Furiosa. My only wish is that the story was better. Where Fury Road was very linear with interesting twists and character development Furiosa tried too hard to establish lore and include every aspect of Fury Road. It would have been more refreshing to create a story independent of Fury Road’s characters until the end when Furiosa becomes employed and trusted by those characters. Instead, I felt the movie was over-saturated and took screen time away from the stars. Is it worth your money? Not entirely. Is it worth your time? Yes.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
A solid seven out of 10 films matched the grandeur of the original three films I think that the I think that the CGI was very well done and gave me the same sense of all that I had watching Andy Circus performance Cesar the characters were interesting and funny exciting, and in many places I was on the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen with the movie was the sort of bee story the biggest flaw with the movie was its uninspired narrative. The themes didn’t feel much different than the first and it seems like they could easily repeat their events but in reverse. Ape dominant human struggle then fight then peace. The kingdom just seems to set up another war when it should be tackling concepts of morality. It’s my opinion tie that the first three movies are about survival and now the next three should be about morality followed by a finale that is just existence. This follows the lines of evolution and ties in nicely as an overarching premise.
Wish
It would be too harsh to say I hated this movie and it has no redeeming qualities, but it came pretty close! The only positive thing I can say walking away from this backyard dumpster fire is that Ariana DeBose who plays Asha has a great singing voice and the song This Wish is pretty good. Everything else in this movie was so jacked up I felt like I was having a bad trip. Let’s get to it, shall we? First, this movie had so many plot holes they must have had Shia Lebouff digging them behind the scenes. If you put any basic thought into the plot the whole comes down like a house of cards. For example, Magnifico can take away memories so couldn’t he just take Ashas? Boom movie over. Speaking of Magnifico, he is an absolute joke of a Disney villain; they should have been ashamed to have even created him. His character is weak, Chris Pine phoned it in, and he’s meant to be this master manipulator but he exposes himself 2 minutes after talking to Asha. The whole movie is horribly paced, one minute feels like ten and nothing comes together. In the end, they defeat Magnifico with the power of unity I guess, and hold hands. I was left embarrassed for Disney and surprised this movie was ever released. This is the first time for The QR Code but 0/10 don’t waste your time.
Interstellar
Wow, I wildly underestimated this film. I don’t know if it was the almost 3 hour time stamp or the Christopher Cultists that turned me off originally but after 10 years I finally watched Interstellar. The short of it is that it might be my favorite Nolan movie and quite possibly the Best in Class Movie this year. The long of it is that I was extremely entertained for 90% of the entire movie. I did feel the beginning was slow but there was a lot to establish so it was expected. I never anticipated the level of drama, action, and genuine heart this movie had. McConaughey and Hathaway delivered some (inter) stellar performances that just blew me away. The additional performances by Jessica Chastain, Matt Damon, John Lithgow, and Michael Caine were also amazing and developed such an intriguing story. I knew visually this movie was going to be stunning, I mean it’s Nolan so, but seeing them was something else entirely. I understand now why this movie won Oscars and I appreciate it a lot more than I did. If you’ve got the time on your hands I’d highly recommend this one folks.
The First Omen
The First Omen was alright. Was it scary? Not really. Frankly, the movie was more disturbing and really took a baseball bat to the knees of the Catholic Church (which depending on who you are is a good thing or a bad thing). I was interested in the film’s premise and found the narrative to be quite compelling with quality twists that never felt boring. Nell Tiger Free who plays the main character Margaret Daino did an exceptional job in the role. I thought she brought a lot of talent, fear, body horror, and passion to the table. Overall The First Omen is less of a scary horror movie and more of a messed-up thriller with lots of sound-based scares. If you’re a fan of scary movies like my friends and I it’s worth a watch but I’m not sure I’d watch it again.
Whiplash
Hard to watch in the most beautiful way. Whiplash is a story of art, abuse, and perseverance. I was in awe of Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons’ performances. I think they both mastered their respective roles and brought a lot of heart to the characters. Hearing J.K. Simmons scream, shout and threaten Teller was terrifying but every single second was so genuine. As for the story of this drumming film, it does not have a very complex surface. The confrontations with Simmons, half-hearted love interest Nicole, and the struggle to be the best drummer make up the core of the narrative. However when you look deeper and consider the themes of struggle and its effect on art and the power dynamics of students and teachers that’s when I would say this movie becomes a complex piece. Whiplash was certainly entertaining and I would recommend it for your next movie night. Although best to avoid it if you can’t handle extremely uncomfortable situations.
Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire
Does the plot have to make sense when I get 2 hours of my big lizard boy wrecking monsters? Absolutely not. For those of you who don’t know my guilty pleasure is Godzilla and my guilty pleasure movie is Godzilla King of the Monsters. All of these monster movies are just such mind-numbing adventures but they are truly delightful. The plot behind the newest one sees Kong searching for his family and Godzilla just prepping for battle. There’s also a lot of exposition, telepathy, and very 80s camp vibes. This movie definitely doesn’t take itself too seriously and just lets viewers enjoy the controlled chaos. I’d recommend this film if you’re looking to tune in and drop out but certainly not if you’re looking for depth and meaning.
Kung Fu Panda 4
Kung Fu Panda 4 was what you’d expect from the 4th movie in a long-running franchise. It follows the path of On Stranger Tides the 4th installment to Pirates of the Caribbean. The movie was alright and entertaining enough but it lacked a certain spark that made the original 3 so good. I felt Awkwafina’s new character was funny, interesting, and charismatic with lots of room to grow throughout the story. Jack Black did another stellar job as Po but was significantly weighed down by his writing. The motivations and personalities of the beloved characters we knew before seemed to have shifted slightly making them feel different. Yes, Po still loves food and Kung Fu but the maturity he gained throughout the first 3 seems to have disappeared. The same can be said for Shifu. I think this movie was also plagued by a forgetful villain that wasn’t relatable and didn’t have any meaning. There’s a certain depth to the other 3 main Kung Fu Panda villains that The Chameleon seemed to lack. Frankly, I blame it on her lack of screen time. She has complex abilities (which are cool) and desires that feel cookie-cutter with no real depth so in the end we don’t care. Overall the movie was good for some laughs and nostalgia and if seen with friends or a loved one the company so I’d recommend it for fans of the series.
Killers of the Flower Moon
A tragic story of greed, betrayal, and unfortunately real-life events. Killers of the Flower Moon was an exceptional movie from start to finish. The set design and cinematography were astounding and added an unspoken layer of depth to the film. However, the standout feature of this 3-hour and 26-minute beast of a movie was the acting. The performances from De Niro and DiCaprio were great, but Lily Gladstone stole the show. Her role as Molly allowed her to flex her acting range and mastery of the scene. I was constantly impressed by her throughout the film and I believe she made it much more enjoyable. My only gripe with Killers of the Flower Moon would be its length. I think the movie might be slightly too long, but that doesn’t affect my feelings towards it overall.
Dune Part 2
Out of the gate Dune Part Two was far more engaging than its predecessor. I never felt bored while watching Part 2 like I did watching Part 1. I felt a lot more was going on throughout the movie with the Emperor, the Fremen, and religious propaganda. Nothing in the movie felt rushed either, in fact at some spots, it may have slowed down too much but I didn’t think that hampered it at all. Once again I thought the cast did a stellar job and the cinematography was incredible. I honestly find myself not having too much to say about the sequel to Dune other than it was good. I had an enjoyable experience that will probably create a deeper interest in the books and world. Most likely I will try my hand at the audiobook given I find a good copy. I look forward to seeing what Part 3 might bring about (yes there will be a Part 3) and perhaps by the end of Dune’s story, it will be another addition to my box set collection.
American Fiction
American Fiction was an absolute delight and I can see why it has been nominated for best picture this year. The narrative was creative, original, and just plain enjoyable. The messages American Fiction conveyed about storytelling in our modern world came across clear and concise which was nice for someone who aspires to be a writer. Across the board the acting was outstanding and every character was relatable in some way shape or form. It was an overall fantastic experience and I highly recommend watching the movie if you’re looking for something this weekend.
Poor Things
I walked away from this one entertained and questioning what I had just watched. The movie is thought-provoking and hilarious but in an unexpected way. The film feels like an artist’s painting come to life. Its vibrant colors and dreamlike world are unlike anything I’ve seen recently. I felt transported to the mind of Yorgos Lanthimas. I was in love with the cast of characters throughout Bella Baxter’s journey but the star of the show was of course Emma Stone. Her incredible performance will stick with me for days and leave me contemplating the deeper meanings of the narrative. I truly do not have enough good things to say about this movie but do be warned there is considerable nudity from most everyone involved. However, I will say this aspect of the movie did not feel forced upon the audience and worked to drive the character development and themes of the movie forward.
The Boy and The Heron
Consistency, consistency, consistency. When you have a portfolio like Studio Ghibli there’s really nothing else to say. I found the film perfectly aligned with the style that Ghibli represents and was just another feather in a beautiful animated cap. Personally, the film’s themes did not resonate with me and the story was occasionally slow but that never impacted my viewing experience. For fans of art or Ghibli, I would highly recommend this film.
Dune Part One
He’s just Jesus. Review over.
I’m just kidding Dune is far more complex than that. This review comes about a week after I viewed the film. Since then I’ve had several conversations about it with a colleague and finally reached my thoughts. Dune Part One (because it is a Part One) felt like a grandiose setup for a much better movie. Conceptually Dune is awesome and I believe the movie conveys that well. You’ve got the big sandworms, a desert, some action, and sci-fi out the wazoo. However, in practice all that didn’t land. There’s about an hour and a half of slow politics in which you forget basically everyone’s names then there’s about 10 minutes of action and the movie closes with an hour of walking around. In defense of the movie, I don’t think the marketing did it any favors. Every trailer for Dune I saw made it look so much more cool than it was then you watch the movie and find out all that cool footage was just him hallucinating the future. So for me, the marketing team failed Dune Part One. I’m hoping Part Two will improve on Part One and perhaps when combined they’ll make a pretty darn good movie, but we shall see
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
This movie was unfortunate and although the first 4 movies are not perfect they far exceeded this confusing uninspired mess. However, before we dive into all the things that made me regret spending my time watching it I would like to at least acknowledge some positives. I thought the time period of the movie was captivating and it did a lot to show us how much Panem had grown by the time we reached the Hunger Games. I also found the discussions surrounding the creation of the Hunger Games interesting and it subtly answers a lot of questions about their origin, purpose, and value. Yet none of these positives could save The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes from a typhoon of negatives. My chief gripe is Snow and Lucy Grey. Both characters are absolutely sloppy, it feels like they actually have negative character development if that’s possible. They are not entertaining to watch on screen, they are clearly given weird directions and there is zero resolution for either character let alone the whole movie. There were no stakes throughout the entire movie and if they were they just didn’t land. The actual Hunger Games portion of the film was entertaining for about 2 minutes and then really slow for 45. Having never read the book I would be and am disappointed in this movie. I loved the original 3 Hunger Games books and enjoyed the first 4 movies but this was a flaming trash pile that someone stuck the name on.
Wonka
For those in love with Gene Wilder I am pleased to report this movie will make you smile. Wonka was an excellent adaption of Willy Wonka. As I watched the movie I could see how they strove to develop a prequel story to the Gene Wilder film. Timothy Chalamet captured the essence of a younger Willy Wonka and the imagination that enthralled us all when we were younger. Not only this but the supporting cast (most notably Calah Lane as Noodle) really helped drive home heart warming origins of the most famous chocolatier in the world. The story of the film was entertaining to say the least with a few corny moments that interrupt otherwise great moments. Finally, the music. I was surprised by how enjoyable I found the songs in Wonka and actually hope a few stick in my head for the days to come.
Iron Claw
A high bar setter for 2024. The Iron Claw had memorable and exciting cinematography. The acting from Zac Efron and his fellow co-stars were absolutely incredible. The story of the Iron Claw was (no pun intended) gripping. I found myself on the edge of my seat the whole time.
