Movies in Review: "Life"

There has been quite the buzz around this film. Notably so I guess, the cast has some heavy hitters in Gyllenhaal and Reynolds, but still for some reason, I was still considering taking a pass on this film. I don't know what it was about it that just didn't capture me. Maybe it's because the trailer looked like all the other "alien" type space films. Where the plot always seems to play out in similar ways. Please let me mention that I'm not the biggest fan of these type of films, mostly because they have a tendency to grossly freak me out...lol. Although I didn't want to see this film, it was Gyllenhaal and Reynolds, as well as the positive buzz that got me into the theater...and I'm happy I went.

Yes the move rolls along like many of the others in this genre, except better. The performances were a lot better and made it more than other films like it. Also, they gave the Alien a name, which you will remember throughout the film because "Calvin" is something that you will want to shake, but can't, even after the credits roll. Calvin has to be one of the craziest aliens I've ever seen in a film, and I hate him...lol. You will get all of your monies worth on this one up until the very end. This creature will have your heart jumping, hands gripping your chair, and have you at the edge of your seat. I seriously was talking about Calvin for an hour after I left the theater...yeah...he was that crazy...smh.

I would never want to see this movie again, but I'm happy I did go see it. Please don't watch this one bootleg because you need to be able to see everything this alien is doing. That's where the horror lies. I love a film that can get me going, and this is one of those movies. It had a twist that I felt was a little predictable but still messed me up in the head...lol...so that's still a win...A-

Movies in Review: "Power Rangers"

Ok I have to make it clear, I'm not a Power Rangers fan. I've never watched the show because at the time I thought it looked corny. When I first watched the trailer for the film, I had the same feelings I shared for the show except the film starred the young actor RJ Cyler. I was first introduced to this young man's talents in the phenomenal movie Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (if you haven't seen it, you need to see it). I loved him in that movie and seeing him in the Power Rangers definitely sparked some interest in the film. However, I still had planned to pass on this movie until my son starting begging to see it. This was the determining factor that got me into the theater. I wasn't expecting much, was just there to spend time with my kid.

Wow...I went in ho-hum, but walked out of the theater quite pleased. The movie wasn't bad at all. It was a little corny at times, but I think that is to be expected. I enjoyed the young actors they had playing this Power Rangers, they were very interesting, especially the boys, the girls were just ok. RJ Cyler was definitely my favorite. This young man is going to go far, he is a phenomenal talent. The other Power Rangers were great, but his personality shined the brightest. I think that the film took longer than I thought before we actually got a chance to see the Power Rangers in action, however, once they got going, it was amazing and fun to watch. There are some very humorous moments in the final action scene that kids and adults will enjoy.

I was very pleased with this film. It was definitely the young actors and costumes that made this movie so much fun to watch. The Power Rangers were really badass and entertaining. I know the theater was filled with Power Ranger fans, but it was the only film I watched this weekend that received and applause when the credits rolled...B+

Movies in Review: "Chips"

I can't say I watched Chips the television series much, but I knew enough about it to be familiar when I watched the trailer for the movie. The film surprisingly caught my interest more than the trailer ever did. Of course, I think a lot of the credit goes to Michael Pena starring in it. I am a huge Pena fan, and will take my chances with going to see anything he's cast in. I think he does a great job with any character he plays, be it drama or comedy, he hits it on the nail. I thought the trailer for Chips was hysterical, so I was definitely looking forward to seeing this one. I expected it to be somewhat corny, but still funny...

Unfortunately this movie was more corny than funny. It took a minute for the comedy to actually get good, at least half way through the film before I laughed, and this wasn't for a lack of trying. In my opinion Dax Shepard's character Jon Baker was dry as hell. That whole bicycle injury thing wasn't funny no matter how hard he went at it. The only time it was funny was with the tub scene, which was the funniest scene in the film. Shepard and Pena weren't the best comedic duo, but that could have had a deal to do with the direction of the story. It was a little all over the place, especially at the beginning and didn't have a strong focus. Pena was cool, but could have been great with a better comedic partner. Once the comedy finally got better, the storyline got cornier though...very unfortunate. I honestly can't remember some of the final scenes in the film, it was that forgettable ~shrugs.

I wasn't expecting this film to be great, but I was definitely expecting a great deal more than what I got. I laughed at one scene, and maybe chuckled through a few others. It rated low on humor, and very high on corny, not a very good combination. This movie wasn't a compliment to the television series, but instead more of a forgettable mess...D+

Movies in Review: "Beauty and the Beast"

As we know I'm not the biggest fan of films being redone and rebooted, but I'd have to say I have to exclude the Disney fairytale films that have been released as of late. With phenomenal films like Maleficent and Cinderella, Disney has brought new life to these classic stories, and I have enjoyed the experiences. It should be no surprise that when I watched the trailer for Beauty and the Beast, the hair stood up on my arms and I got chills. I am super surprised by my reaction to the trailer because I was never the biggest fan of the Beauty and the Beast story. Don't hate me, I think it was the beast that made me shudder and kept me from this story ~shrugs. As an adult it's clear I'm no longer scared of this beast and marked my calendar for the release of this film. I had to bring my little guy and was a little worried the film might not be good for him since there was no animation, but I was hoping for the best.

O...M...G!!! This movie is everything. I thought I loved the remake of Cinderella, but Beauty and the Beast had me on a super high. It was a visually stunning film, maxing out its entertainment value. I said I was worried if my kid would enjoy it, but each time I glanced over at him his eyes were glued to the screen and there was a smile planted on his face. The characters were everything and had enough to keep the younger audience members interested throughout. The costumes were amazing, especially the yellow dress Belle wore. By the way Emma Watson was a shining star as the character Beauty. I don't think they could have cast a better actress. Also the visual effects they used on the Beast were absolutely AMAZING! I could go on and on about this film, and all would be positive. One of my favorite films so far for 2017.

If you have little ones, especially little girls, do not let this movie leave the theater without them seeing it. It is great on any screen, but I would have loved it on a more premium screen as it's a visual masterpiece. It's so good, I would add it to my collection to be watched over and over...A+!

Movies in Review: "T2: Trainspotting"

I remember walking past the theatrical poster for this film and wondering what it was about, and looking for the trailer to ease my curiosity, but with no such luck. It was really Ewan McGregor that caused my interest to go any further than the poster. I happen to really adore Ewan and his work and figured any film he starred in had to be worth the watch. So I did my research only to find out this film was actually the sequel of the 1996 film Trainspotting. I thought the trailer was really crazy, but still entertaining, so I set plans to see it this weekend, after of course, watching the first. I think that was a bad idea, because upon finishing the first film, I seriously reconsidered skipping out on T2. This is not to say the film was bad, it was just something that didn't really touch any of my senses, except for disgusts at some of the scenes. However upon considering my other film choices (The Belko Experiment) I took my chances with this instead.

Well I was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed this second installment more than the first. I thought this film had a much better storyline, and I'm sure the decrease in drug use played a major role. Although I did feel the first film had more riveting scenes that would have one squirm, and gasp, but the plot in the second film kept my attention more than the first. I enjoyed the characters and found my attention kept by this film than the first. I honestly had a hard time relating to the material ~shrugs. Movie felt like it was directed to the male audience and likely those who have dabbled into drugs. So it wasn't that the film wasn't good, it just wasn't for me I guess.

This film reminds me of stuff adolescent boys would sit around and watch while getting hammered. Not really the type of film you would have ever caught me watching. But again, not a bad movie. If you like dark comedies and the story catches your interest, then I definitely think this is a film you will enjoy. If not, you can wait to view it on a couch near you, on a lazy Sunday afternoon with nothing to do...ijs...B-

Movies in Review: "Kong: Skull Island"

I have expressed this many times, but I'm not the biggest fan of reboots and films that keep getting remade over and over again. Seriously? Where is the creativity in that? I admit I was also never a huge King Kong or Godzilla fan for that matter, and have never seen the originals ~shrugs. However I decided to open my mind and see what the hype was all about with this huge creatures, taking my chances with the last Godzilla movie, and enjoying it. When the trailer for Kong hit the theaters, I found myself still sucking my teeth, but the cast played a major part in my interest to see this film. I thought the trailer was cool, and hoped to be as entertained as I was with Godzilla.

O...M...G! Kong was so freaking awesome! I went to see the film in a Dolby screen theater, and it was everything! The sound and the trembles in the theater helped with the overall experience. My jaw dropped when Kong came on the screen. I definitely recommend seeing this in a premium theater (not 3D though), so you can get the most out of this movie. Kong was visually massive and amazing. I loved how they designed him...Wow. The film kept a nice pace and the cast was great at adding to the entertainment. Skull Island also had more than a few visual surprises that I loved. I kept getting caught off guard. I love when a film can do that.

If there was a battle between Kong and Godzilla, I'm definitely #TeamKong all the way. He is everything. I was more than pleased with this film. It had everything I could want or expect from a film like this. If you are looking for something heart pumping, then this is your film. As I said before, seeing this film in any place other that IMAX or a premium screen isn't really worth the time...A-

Movies in Review: "Logan"

I love me some Wolverine. I know critics didn't real rave about the 2 previous films, especially the last one, but I was a fan of both, although less of the 2nd installment...lol. When I watched the trailer for this 3rd installment I was a little surprised I wasn't thrilled about the film as previous. The trailer looked like a stretch from the other Wolverine films, and I can't say I really liked what I watched in the trailer, as I would sit there screw facing it a bit...lol. However my dislike of the trailer wasn't going to keep me from seeing this film. Wolverine is my fave and I'd see any movie that featured this character. I wasn't sure what to expect, but my expectations were still high, especially since most critics have been raving about it...it better be good.

Here's the one thing I can say for sure about this movie, it's very different from the others. I honestly don't remember the second film to know if it would help me to understand this one more ~shrugs. I know I did find myself a little lost at the turn of events and the state Wolverine was in. This movie felt darker than the other films and worn out. It was less like a superhero with comic bookie feel and instead felt more like an action film. I can't say I liked the feel of my superhero film not feeling superheroish...ya know. The action/fight sequences were bloodier and felt like I was watching a Chinese fight flick, or video game. Not really what I was expecting. However I did enjoy the Laura, the young female clone of Wolverine. She was kick ass, except when she started talking. Her chattering little voice was piercing my eardrums...lol. 

Although my review reads as if I didn't enjoy the film, such is not the case, I did enjoy it. However I'm not raving about it like most of my friends are. It was a very well written film, with a good story, however no one wants to see their superhero no longer super. That was definitely hard for me to watch. It was a good movie. I apologize if my excitement isn't to the level you think it should be, but this film was too different from the others to get me on board with its direction ~shrugs...A-

Movies in Review: "Before I Fall"

This was not really a movie I have been waiting to see, and honestly one I thought I would pass on. I'm not the biggest fan of films that involve story lines that repeat themselves. This type of movie has been done so many times that if it's not done right, the repetition can get a little boring ~shrugs. I have no idea what made me venture into the theater to see this film. It's likely I wanted to post more than just one review this weekend, with my main film focus on Logan. I wasn't expecting much from this movie, I was just hoping it wouldn't be a complete waste of time.

It was a cute teenage flick, with the story being as expected. As I thought would happen the repeating of the day did get boring quickly, but I'm happy the film was only an hour and a half, so I was caught snoozing only for a short bit. I did enjoy much of the film, but most of the enjoyment came towards the middle and end of film. I loved the lessons to be taken away from this film, especially how our words and actions can affect someone. Do you want to your last mark on someone to be good or bad? There were some real thought provoking moments throughout. A film I would recommend to young adults, and some adults.

I wasn't disappointed with this film. I walked out of the theater thinking about the person I am, and how I am to other people. Words and actions hurt and can have repercussions. This movie drags a little but the messages in the film are definitely powerful. I would recommend anyone with teenage/tween children to see it...B!